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Seat-sharing process: SP may declare first list of candidates on Makar Sankranti
A few MLAs expressed concern over the Congress’ perceived inclination to include the Bahujan Samaj Party in the INDIA bloc
LUCKNOW Amid the INDIA bloc’s seat-sharing talks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Samajwadi Party is preparing to declare its first list of candidates around Makar Sankranti (January 14), said a senior party leader.
On Tuesday, party chief Akhilesh Yadav met former and current party legislators and initiated a process to seek feedback regarding prospective candidates to be fielded on seats where SP is likely to contest.
Earlier on Monday, Yadav had taken suggestions (in sealed envelopes) regarding prospective candidates in each constituency. Legislators and former legislators gave their envelopes to the SP chief on Tuesday.
A few MLAs expressed concern over the Congress’ perceived inclination to include the Bahujan Samaj Party in INDIA bloc.
Yadav also asked party members to prepare for the elections intensively and aim to achieve a higher polling percentage. “Work hard not only to make SP candidates win, but all alliance partners’ candidates. The PDA (Pichhade, Dalit, backward) combination and INDIA bloc would wipe the BJP out from the state. The challenge that we have is also the solution,” the SP chief said at the meeting, as quoted by a senior party leader.
SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav also addressed the meeting.
Akhilesh may contest on 2 seats
It is almost certain that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will contest the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, but in case Shivpal Yadav does not agree to contest the Azamgarh seat, Akhilesh may contest from Azamgarh also, said a party source.
There is also a possibility that Akhilesh may field Shivpal’s son Aditya Yadav from Azamgarh, but the possibility is being analysed by calculating the winnablity factor of Aditya.
Dimple Yadav will recontest her Mainpuri seat while former Firozabad MP, Akshaya Yadav will be candidate from Firozabad again. Apart from these, Lalji Verma is likely to contest from Ambedkar Nagar, Indrajeet Saroj (Kaushambi), Avadhesh Prasad (Faizabad), Anu Tandon (Unnao), SP state president Naresh Uttam Patel (Fatehpur), Kajal Nishad (Gorakhpur), sitting MP ST Hasan (Moradabad), Afzaal Anzari (likely for Ghazipur), Praveen Aron (Bareilly), Harendra Malik (Muzaffarnagar), Naval Kishore Shakya (Farrukhabad), Rajiv Rai (Ghosi), Ram Prasad Chaudhary (Basti) and Ram Shankar Vidhyathi (Salempur).
Take Maya’s name respectfully, SP chief tells MLAs
When some MLAs expressed apprehension about Congress’ alleged overtures towards Mayawati for her inclusion in the INDIA bloc, one of the legislators used an improper adjective while talking about the BSP chief.
At this, SP president Akhilesh Yadav, reportedly, responded by saying: “She is elder to you and a senior leader, take her name respectfully. I respect her. I might make political comments, but respectfully.”
