Uttar Pradesh assembly bypolls: SP, Congress will contest upcoming elections together, says Ajay Rai

Uttar Pradesh assembly Byelections are set to be held on nine Assembly seats — Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sisamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad)

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) said the INDIA bloc will fight the upcoming Assembly bypolls together “irrespective of the outcome of the seat-sharing talks with Samajwadi Party (SP)”.

He said that the only goal of the Opposition alliance is to defeat the BJP.

Byelections are set to be held on nine Assembly seats — Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sisamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad). The bypoll for the vacant Milkipur (Ayodhya) is not being held due to a pending election petition in the Allahabad High Court.

“The goal of our alliance is to defeat the BJP, which instigates riots and carries out fake encounters. The ruling party is anti-farmer and anti-women. Its policies have adversely impacted the common people, primarily the poor, the Scheduled Castes, and the minorities,” said Mr. Rai.

The two Opposition parties are yet to reach a consensus on seat sharing for the bypolls. The SP has reportedly offered two seats — Ghaziabad and Khair — to the Congress and maintained that talks with the grand old party are continuing.

Published - October 22, 2024 11:17 pm IST