Relief for Congress: 'INDIA bloc will remain' in Uttar Pradesh, says Akhilesh Yadav after declaring 6 candidates for UP bypolls

In some respite for the Congress, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that his party's alliance with the grand old party in Uttar Pradesh will continue. The announcement came a day after the regional satrap declared candidates for 6 of the 10 assembly seats where bypolls are due. 

Yadav, who is also the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, was replying to a question on the party's ticket distribution for bypolls. "I only want to say that INDIA bloc will be there. SP and Congress alliance will remain intact," newswire PTI quoted the former CM as saying. 

He did not elaborate much, while adding that it is not the time to discuss politics. When asked about the Congress' performance in Haryana polls, Yadav said: "We will discuss this when we meet again."

The Congress, which was eyeing a comeback in Haryana, got 37 of the 90 seats as the BJP won a third consecutive term with a score of 48.

In what was being seen as a snub to the Congress post the Haryana election setback, the Samajwadi Party released a list of candidates for 6 assembly seats. The SP named its candidates for Phulpur, Majhawan, Karhal, Katehari, Milkipur and Sisamau.

According to SP's official list, the party named Tej Pratap Yadav from Karhal, Naseem Solanki from Sisamau, Mustafa Siddiqui from Phulpur, Ajit Prasad from Milkipur, Shobhawati Verma from Katehari and Jyoti Bind from Majhwan.

The Congress was demanding 5 seats in the upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh. The grand old party sought seats like Phulpur, Majhawan, Ghaziabad, Khair, and Meerapur. 

While announcing the names of the candidates, party spokerson Rajendra Chaudhary said that any decision on seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress will be taken by Akhilesh Yadav.

Nine of these seats were left vacant after their respective MLAs were elected as MPs in Lok Sabha elections whereas the bypoll is being held in Sisamau because SP MLA Irfan Solanki was disqualified following his conviction in a murder case.