Ahead Of Lok Sabha Polls, Akhilesh Yadav Offers 15 Seats To Congress, Snubs Rahul Gandhi's Yatra

With the Lok Sabha poll date announcement just a few weeks away, the INDIA bloc is yet to finalize its seat-sharing deal while Rahul Gandhi is busy carrying out his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was to join Rahul Gandhi's yatra today but neither he nor the SP supporters joined the yatra. Now, Akhilesh Yadav has made it clear that the SP will join the yatra only if the Congress accepts his seat-sharing proposal. Akhilesh Yadav was earlier offering 11 seats to the Congress and seven to the Rashtriya Lok Dal. Now, with the RLD joining hands with the BJP, Akhilesh Yadav has revised his offer to Congress to 15 seats.

Congress' Strike Rate Under Scanner

During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress secured victory in 52 seats across India, with minimal success in the northeast and the Hindi belt. In Uttar Pradesh, the party managed to win only one seat, Raebareli, while facing a defeat in Amethi where Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani. The Congress had contested all 80 seats but won just one. This has led to some scepticism within the opposition parties as they continue to question the Congress party's winnability and strike rate. 

Akhilesh Yadav's Firm Stand

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party did not field candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli as a gesture of courtesy towards the Congress. However, the dynamics have shifted this time, with the party adopting a more resolute stance. The Samajwadi Party has proposed allocating 15 seats to the Congress and is firm in asserting that the Congress cannot field candidates in any other constituencies if the alliance remains intact. The decision now rests with the Congress, and the awaited response will determine the course of the alliance. While Samajwadi Party has taken a firm stand on the alliance, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh had expressed optimism about Akhilesh Yadav's participation in the Yatra and finalization of the seat-sharing deal.

INDIA Bloc In Trouble

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi and Punjab have already snubbed Congress saying that they would go solo. Now, if Congress further delays its UP alliance bid, Akhilesh Yadav might choose to walk out of the INDIA bloc. It's now up to Congress to take the alliance seriously and finalize seat-sharing deals with remaining INDIA bloc parties.