INDIA candidates to fight UP bypolls on 'cycle' symbol: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has announced that all candidates of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh bypolls on the SP's election symbol, "cycle." "Congress and Samajwadi Party are united and stand shoulder to shoulder for a big victory," Yadav said, confident that the INDIA bloc would "write a new chapter of victory in this by-election."
Bypolls on 9 assembly seats
The bypolls will be held on November 13 across nine assembly seats: Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad). Eight of these seats became vacant after their MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha. The Sisamau seat needs a bypoll after SP MLA Irfan Solanki was disqualified following a criminal conviction.
Congress agrees to contest 2 seats in UP bypolls
Initially, the Congress had demanded five out of 10 assembly seats, including Milkipur. However, they later agreed to contest only two seats: Ghaziabad and Khair. Excluding Milkipur due to a pending election petition, the Election Commission has announced by-elections for nine seats. Sources revealed that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi discussed seat-sharing differences with Yadav before the latter's announcement about using the "cycle" symbol for all INDIA bloc candidates.
Congress reportedly reluctant to contest certain seats
Reportedly, the Congress was not keen on contesting Ghaziabad Sadar and Khair, given the Bharatiya Janata Party's stronghold there. They preferred not to contest if they didn't get Phulpur and Meerapur seats. However, Yadav had already fielded candidates for Meapur and Phulpur, forcing Congress to opt out of contesting these by-elections. The last date for filing nominations is Friday (October 25), with vote counting on November 23.
