Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and SP President Akhilesh Yadav.
– Photo : amar ujala
Expansion
The alliance of SP and Congress will expand to three states under the banner of India. Congress has got 17 Lok Sabha seats in UP, while SP will contest on one seat in Madhya Pradesh. This will reduce the bitterness created between both the parties in the MP assembly elections. According to sources, SP will support Congress candidates in Uttarakhand also.
Formal announcement made after Priyanka’s intervention
According to sources, the SP leadership on Monday sent a message to the Congress high command to immediately clarify its position on 17 seats. When the reply was not received till Tuesday evening, SP also fielded its candidate from Varanasi seat. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra intervened on this. Then on Wednesday morning there was a phone conversation between the top leadership of both the parties. After this it was decided to formally announce the alliance.
Akhilesh congratulated for the alliance
On the decision of seat distribution between Congress and SP, Akhilesh Yadav said on the occasion that congratulations and hearty best wishes to everyone for a harmonious alliance. Let us all unite to save the Constitution of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, to implement Lohia’s principle of numerical sharing, to bring equality by activating socialist values and to give 90 percent PDA their rights.