<p>The alliance talks between Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP), both part of the grand opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) in the electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh in the next Lok Sabha polls due in May 2024 appear to be facing roadblocks over seat sharing.</p><p>According to sources, SP was not ready to leave more than five to six constituencies for the Congress in the state in the next general elections, but the latter is insisting on around two dozen.</p>.Newly elected Ghosi MLA Sudhakar Singh takes oath in Uttar Pradesh.<p>Sources said that the basis of seat sharing should be Congress' performance in the state in the 2019 LS polls, when the grand old party won the lone seat of Raebareli from where former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was elected MP. Congress had lost even its stronghold of Amethi from where senior party leader Rahul Gandhi lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani.</p><p>Congress, on the other hand, wanted 2009 as the basis of seat sharing. In the 2009 LS polls, Congress had won 21 seats in the state on its own. ''We want at least 18 seats where we think we can win,'' remarked a state Congress leader when queried about the seat sharing talks with the SP. The Akhilesh Yadav-led party was not ready to concede the Congress demand. </p><p>Yadav had in fact said a few days back that his party would not ask the I.N.D.I.A alliance to give seats to it. ''Instead we will give seats to the alliance partners,'' he had remarked, hinting clearly as to who the boss in UP was.</p><p>SP leaders said that the party would also have to leave some seats for the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the western region. ''We also have to accommodate Bhim Army leader Chandrashekhar and Apna Dal (Krishna Patel),'' said a senior SP leader here.</p>.Rahul Gandhi will contest 2024 Lok Sabha election from Amethi: UP Cong chief Ajay Rai.<p>Sources said that the recent exchange of barbs between the UP Congress president Ajay Rai and the SP leaders was the result of SP's reluctance to concede to the Congress' demand. Rai had accused the SP of 'backstabbing' and putting up its nominee at Bageshwar assembly seat in Uttarakhand, where a by-poll was held recently, and as a result of which the Congress candidate lost to their BJP counterpart by a slender margin.</p><p>He had also said that his party was ready to contest from all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the next general elections. </p>
<p>The alliance talks between Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP), both part of the grand opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) in the electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh in the next Lok Sabha polls due in May 2024 appear to be facing roadblocks over seat sharing.</p><p>According to sources, SP was not ready to leave more than five to six constituencies for the Congress in the state in the next general elections, but the latter is insisting on around two dozen.</p>.Newly elected Ghosi MLA Sudhakar Singh takes oath in Uttar Pradesh.<p>Sources said that the basis of seat sharing should be Congress' performance in the state in the 2019 LS polls, when the grand old party won the lone seat of Raebareli from where former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was elected MP. Congress had lost even its stronghold of Amethi from where senior party leader Rahul Gandhi lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani.</p><p>Congress, on the other hand, wanted 2009 as the basis of seat sharing. In the 2009 LS polls, Congress had won 21 seats in the state on its own. ''We want at least 18 seats where we think we can win,'' remarked a state Congress leader when queried about the seat sharing talks with the SP. The Akhilesh Yadav-led party was not ready to concede the Congress demand. </p><p>Yadav had in fact said a few days back that his party would not ask the I.N.D.I.A alliance to give seats to it. ''Instead we will give seats to the alliance partners,'' he had remarked, hinting clearly as to who the boss in UP was.</p><p>SP leaders said that the party would also have to leave some seats for the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the western region. ''We also have to accommodate Bhim Army leader Chandrashekhar and Apna Dal (Krishna Patel),'' said a senior SP leader here.</p>.Rahul Gandhi will contest 2024 Lok Sabha election from Amethi: UP Cong chief Ajay Rai.<p>Sources said that the recent exchange of barbs between the UP Congress president Ajay Rai and the SP leaders was the result of SP's reluctance to concede to the Congress' demand. Rai had accused the SP of 'backstabbing' and putting up its nominee at Bageshwar assembly seat in Uttarakhand, where a by-poll was held recently, and as a result of which the Congress candidate lost to their BJP counterpart by a slender margin.</p><p>He had also said that his party was ready to contest from all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the next general elections. </p>