Another party at loggerheads with Congress over LS seat sharing

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party is also at loggerheads with the Congress from the 'INDIA' front over seat sharing. There are reports that SP is preparing to contest alone in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier Trinamool Congress had also stated that there is no alliance in Bengal.

Sources close to SP leader Akhilesh Yadav say that he will not participate in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi following the seat dispute. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said the other day that the discussions regarding seat sharing are in the final stage. This is followed by new developments.

Jairam Ramesh responded that there are no problems between SP and Congress and things are progressing in a favourable situation. The SP had expressed its willingness to hand over 17 of the total 70 seats in the state to the Congress.

Akhilesh Yadav and his team had already informed that Congress' demand for more seats is not possible.

The dispute over the allotment of three seats each, which includes the SP's sitting seat, has thrown the seat division into disarray.

The SP leadership had informed that Akhilesh Yadav will attend Rahul's yatra only after the seat division within the alliance is finalised. The seat-sharing talks between SP and Congress got stuck on three seats.

The Congress has demanded the Ballia seat for the state president Ajay Rai. The party had also demanded the Moradabad and Bijnor seats. The Moradabad seat is still held by the SP. It was informed that SP is not ready to release any of these seats including the sitting seat.