In Uttar Pradesh, a significant breakthrough has been achieved as the Congress and Samajwadi Party finalized their seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This development marks the successful completion of seat-sharing negotiations within the Indian alliance in the crucial state of UP.
Initially, the Samajwadi Party offered the Congress only 11 seats, later raised to 17, while the Congress sought 19 seats. Despite specific requests from the Congress during talks, the Samajwadi Party was initially reluctant to accommodate them, causing a delay in negotiations.
However, thanks to the proactive involvement of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a pivotal figure in the Congress, the deadlock was broken.
Priyanka Gandhi played a crucial role in advancing the stalled discussions, according to sources within the Congress.
Priyanka Gandhi initiated conversations with her brother, Rahul Gandhi, regarding seat-sharing matters. Subsequently, she engaged with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, facilitating progress in the negotiations.
As a result, the Congress decided to relinquish its demand for the Moradabad seat, while the Samajwadi Party agreed to allocate the Varanasi seat to the Congress.
Furthermore, adjustments were made regarding the Sitapur and Hathras seats, ultimately leading to an agreement between the two parties.
Acknowledging Priyanka Gandhi's instrumental role in the seat-sharing process, Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey expressed gratitude to her for her efforts.
It was also revealed that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi advised state leaders to focus on practical demands, contributing to the smooth resolution of the negotiations.
Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party chief, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that everything proceeded smoothly.
He is slated to join Rahul Gandhi's yatra in Moradabad on February 24-25, further strengthening the alliance ahead of the elections.
In addition to the developments in Uttar Pradesh, negotiations with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi are nearing conclusion, while seat allocations for the Indian alliance in Maharashtra are in the final stages.
An official announcement regarding the Maharashtra seats is expected imminently, marking significant progress for the Indian alliance across various states.