UP By Election: The excitement regarding the by-elections in Uttar Pradesh has intensified. The Election Commission has also announced the dates for the elections. The picture regarding the alliance of SP and Congress is not clear yet. But according to reports, Congress party will not field its candidates on any seat now. Out of 10 assembly seats for the by-election, SP had left two seats of Khair and Ghaziabad for Congress. But now it is being said that Congress will not contest elections on these two seats also. However, the alliance will remain intact in the by-elections also. The reason behind this is that Congress has no hope of winning these two seats. In such a situation, the party does not want to break the morale of its workers by losing the elections.
Agreement on seats could not be reached with SP
Congress had demanded five seats in the by-election. But it did not work out. Samajwadi Party wanted to give chances to Congress only on two seats. It is being told that Congress demanded from SP those seats where BJP was defeated in the 2022 assembly elections. But there was no discussion on this. Congress compromised and expressed its desire to contest elections from Phulpur and Manjhwa seats. But Akhilesh Yadav announced his candidates on both the seats. Congress’s share came from Aligarh’s Khair and Ghaziabad’s seats. BJP has a strong hold on both the seats. It will not be at all easy for both SP and Congress to win the elections on this seat.
Building morale of workers
Congress wanted to change its two seats but it could not happen. In such a situation, Congress has now changed its mind. According to reports, it is almost certain that Congress will no longer contest the UP by-elections. It is being said that the party will no longer contest elections and will support SP from outside. Congress touched the figure of 99 in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Six of these seats are also from Uttar Pradesh. Some better performance of the party has boosted the morale of the workers. The party is eyeing the 2027 assembly elections. Congress has little hope of winning the Khair and Ghaziabad seats in the by-elections.
Congress ready to sacrifice
Due to weak hold, the party does not want to lower the morale of its workers by losing the elections. Besides, there is also the responsibility to preserve the alliance. After not getting a seat in the Haryana elections, Akhilesh Yadav had said that he was making sacrifices to defeat BJP. This time it is Congress’s turn to make sacrifices. For which Congress is also ready. Till now, no official statement has come from either SP or Congress regarding Congress not contesting in the by-elections. But according to sources and in political circles, the discussion on this matter has intensified. It is being said that Congress party may also announce this soon.
Weak hold of SP and Congress
Well, BJP’s hold on Ghaziabad seat is very strong. In the 2022 assembly elections, BJP’s Anup Pradhan got more than 55 percent votes on Khair seat. Whereas despite SP and RLD being in alliance, RLD got only 16 percent votes. Congress got less than one percent, only 0.6 percent votes. The situation is similar in Ghaziabad seat also. In the last assembly elections, BJP got 61.37 percent votes, SP got 18.25 percent votes and Congress got 4.81 percent votes on this seat. In such a situation, both the parties are afraid of defeat. For this reason Congress has pulled back.