On some UP seats, Cong, SP reach understanding

The Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders may be engaged in a bitter verbal duel in Uttar Pradesh (UP), but the parties are likely to adhere to what the SP termed “political courtesy” in the state for the Lok Sabha polls.

The parties have hinted that they will not field candidates against each other in Raebareli and Amethi, the Lok Sabha constituencies of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul respectively, and Mainpuri and Kannauj, the constituencies of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple respectively.

Akhilesh had hinted to this effect when he said that the SP will not field its candidates from Amethi and Raebareli. “It is a political courtesy followed by the Congress and the SP,” Akhilesh had said.

He said the two parties had attacked each other in the political arena but “political courtesy” was still there.

The Congress has also decided to return the favour and hinted that it will not field its candidates in Mainpuri and Kannauj. “We will not contest from Mainpuri and Kannauj,” said a senior UP Congress leader.

The SP’s absence will come as a huge relief to Rahul, who finds himself “cornered” in his home turf of Amethi by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas. The SP had earlier hinted that it could field its candidate from Amethi. State Minister Gayatri Prajapati, an MLA from Amethi Assembly constituency, was also asked to start preparations.

Prajapati, who was minister of state (independent charge) for mining, was elevated to the rank of cabinet minister. Prajapati, who had defeated senior Congress leader Amita Singh from Amethi in the 2012 Assembly polls, could have proved to be a formidable candidate.
Prajapati, who hails from a backward caste, wields considerable influence in Amethi over the community.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the SP did not field candidates in Amethi and Raebareli. The Congress, too, had not contested from Mainpuri and Kannauj.