Cong-sp tie-up talks hit a hurdle on seats

TALKS BETWEEN the Congress andthesamajwadipartyforapreelectionallianceforuttarpradesh seems to have hit a dead end. Sources said there is no agreementontheseat-sharingformula and top Congress leaders on Saturday said the party is willing to contest the elections alone.

UP Congress chief Raj Babbar told The Sunday Express that “rumours” about an alliance are being spread by those who want to reduce the election to a Hindumuslim contest, indicating the BJP without naming the party. “Like they tried to polarise voters in 2014 (Lok Sabha polls)...their agenda is clear...somehow divert attention from issues such as demonetisation and raise the communal pitch,” Babbar said.

Sources, meanwhile, said the Congress is not ready to accept the SP’S offer of approximately 100 seats for the Congress, Ajit Singh’s RLD and some other smaller parties. The Congress is reportedly keen to fight on at least 90 seats.

Whilethecongresshadmaintained a studied silence on any alliance-related talks, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had as good as expressed willingness to clinch a deal with the party, arguingthatthesp-congresscombine, ifstitched,canwinmorethan300 seats in the 403-member House.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told party workers in Meerut that the party is prepared to fight the elections on its own “for now”. “There is no talk of an alliance with any party,” Azad was quoted by PTI as saying.