After Being Shunted Out By SP-BSP In Uttar Pradesh, Congress Says Will Fight All 80 Seats In State On Its Own

After being left out of the alliance between Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Congress on Sunday (13 January) said that it has decided to contest all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming elections on its own, Times of India has reported.

Congress has maintained that the party is open to any form of alliance with any party that intends to take on the BJP. Congress UP in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad, in a press conference at Lucknow, said that the party aims to double its tally of seats that it secured in 2009. The party won 21 parliamentary seats back in 2009 in India’s most populous state.

On being left out of the alliance, he said that the party wanted to be a part of the grand coalition, but cannot force anyone if they wish to walk away. However, he said that they are open to a post-poll alliance.

“The Congress workers are not at all disappointed on being left out of the alliance. On the contrary, they are saying that the party would have had to contest on 25 Lok Sabha seats, but now they would be contesting on all the 80 Lok Sabha seats of the state.” Azad was quoted in the report as saying.