Lok Sabha polls: Congress to contest 17 seats, Akhilesh's party and others on 63 in UP

Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande on Wednesday said that the grand old party will contest on 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, while Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) and other alliance partners of the INDIA bloc will contest in 63 seats.

"I am delighted to tell you that it has been decided that in Uttar Pradesh the INC will contest on 17 seats and the remaining 63 seats will have candidates of INDIA Alliance - from SP and other parties," Pande said while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.

Earlier today, Akhilesh Yadav while speaking to reporters said that an alliance with the Congress will happen in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections.

Akhilesh Yadav said: “All is well that ends well… Yes, there will be an alliance. There is no conflict. Everything will be out and clear soon… All is well that ends well…”

Earlier this week, Yadav said he would join Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra only if its seat-sharing proposal for the Lok Sabha polls is accepted. Akhilesh Yadav did not join Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Amethi on Monday.

The INDIA bloc, led by the Congress, has seen the exit of Bihar CM and Janata Dal (United) boss Nitish Kumar. Kumar joined NDA alliance after quitting the INDIA bloc. Jayant Chaudhary's Rashtriya Lok Dal in UP has also joined the NDA alliance. On February 12, Chaudhary confirmed that his party will join the NDA. 

In Bengal, the Trinamool Congress said it plans to contest the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats on its own, after CM Mamata Banerjee was criticised by the Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

In Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that his party will contest all 13 parliamentary constituencies in Punjab as well as the Chandigarh seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on its own steam. 

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