Tensions surrounding seat-sharing negotiations within the INDIA alliance in Uttar Pradesh have escalated following sharp remarks from a regional lawmaker. Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament from Pratapgarh, Shivpal Singh Patel, launched a direct attack on alliance partner Congress, asserting that conceding more than 50 seats to the grand old party would be equivalent to forfeiting those constituencies even before polling begins.
Pratapgarh MP Rejects Giving Over 50 Seats to Congress
Shivpal Singh Patel took an uncompromising position regarding electoral arithmetic in Uttar Pradesh. He stated that the Congress party lacks a viable grassroots voter base in the state when compared to the Samajwadi Party. According to the parliamentarian, offering over 50 constituencies to Congress would simply jeopardize the alliance's prospects, as the party does not possess the organizational strength required to win those seats.
Sharp Claims on Rahul Gandhi's 2024 Contest
Turning his focus to the 2024 general elections, Patel made direct claims regarding Rahul Gandhi's electoral decisions. The lawmaker stated that Rahul Gandhi fled from Amethi in 2024 and was so anxious that he was not initially inclined to contest from Rae Bareli either. Patel claimed that Gandhi had resolved to contest solely from South India during that election cycle.
Samajwadi Party's Decisive Role in Rae Bareli Win
According to Patel, it was only after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav intervened and reasoned with Rahul Gandhi that he agreed to enter the contest from Rae Bareli. The Pratapgarh MP maintained that the Samajwadi Party mobilized its entire organizational machinery to ensure Rahul Gandhi secured victory in Rae Bareli. Given these political dynamics, Patel reiterated that Congress holds negligible independent ground support across Uttar Pradesh.
