Congress lends ‘unconditional support’ to SP in bypolls for nine U.P. Assembly seats

Protecting Constitution by defeating BJP is more important than party interests, say Congress, SP leaders; Congress decision comes after its Haryana poll debacle, where it was accused of ignoring claims by INDIA bloc partners

The Congress on Thursday (October 24, 2024) announced that it will not field any candidate of its own in the upcoming byelection for nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. Instead, it will extend unconditional support to the Samajwadi Party and other members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Joining forces to defeat the BJP and protect the Constitution takes precedence over party interests, said U.P. Congress chief Ajay Rai, and the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) in-charge for the State, Avinash Pande, who addressed a press conference at party headquarters.

Soon afterwards, in Lucknow, the Samajwadi Party announced its nominees for the two seats — Ghaziabad and Khair — that it is said to have initially offered to the Congress.

‘Save the Constitution’

On X, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav posted an earlier photo of a joint election rally where he can be seen holding hands with the Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. “We have decided to save the Constitution, reservation, and harmony. We have to build the the country of Bapu-Babasaheb-Lohia’s dreams,” he posted.

In Delhi, Mr. Pande and Mr. Rai told reporters that Congress workers and leaders would unconditionally work to ensure the victory of the SP candidates and other INDIA bloc members.

“The manner in which political and social tensions are rising in U.P. and in the country and keeping in mind the objectives with which the INDIA bloc was created — on that basis, the question is not about strengthening the organisation or forwarding party interests but to save the Constitution and to strengthen mutual harmony,” Mr. Pande said.

Focus on defeating BJP

He added that the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) had recently organised Samvidhan Bachao Sankalp Sammelans (Save the Constitution meetings) in all the Assembly constituencies where bypolls are due. “If the BJP is not stopped today, then the Constitution, brotherhood and mutual harmony will weaken in the times to come,” the U.P. Congress chief alleged. “We have to ensure the defeat of the BJP nominees so that it has a positive impact on the Assembly polls in 2027,” he added.

He said the decision was taken after consultations involving Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr. Gandhi, the AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Mr. Pande himself, and Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Misra, along with the SP leadership.

The Congress high command’s decision on U.P. comes after it faced criticism over its debacle in the Haryana Assembly election, where the Congress was blamed for ignoring claims made by other members of the INDIA bloc, such as the Aam Admi party (AAP).

‘Pursuing victory’

Thursday’s announcement by the Congress also comes a day after the SP chief had said that all the INDIA bloc candidates would contest the bypolls on the party’s ‘cycle’ election symbol. He had said the alliance’s decision was not informed by any seat-sharing math, but a pursuit of victory.

“The Congress and the Samajwadi Party are united and stand shoulder to shoulder for a big victory. The INDIA bloc is going to write a new chapter of victory in this byelection,” Mr. Yadav said in a post on X on Wednesday.

Mr Pande, however, clarified that the candidate and symbol would both be of the SP or any other INDIA bloc ally, and not of the Congress.

Nine seats at stake

The nine Assembly seats going to polls on November 13 are Katehari, Karhal, Mirapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur, and Kundarki.

On Thursday, the SP named Singh Raj Jatav as its candidate from Ghaziabad and Charu Kain from the Khair Assembly segment.

Earlier, the SP had named Tej Pratap Yadav from the Karhal seat, Naseem Solanki from Sisamau, Mustafa Siddiqui from Phulpur, Shobhawai Verma from Katehari, and Jyodi Bind from Majhwan.

Eight of the nine seats fell vacant after the incumbent legislators were elected as Lok Sabha MPs earlier this year. In Sisamau, the bypoll is being held due to the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.

Published - October 24, 2024 02:52 pm IST