NCP will support SP alliance in Uttar Pradesh polls, talks on for seat sharing, says Nawab Malik

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had announced earlier that his party will ally with Akhilesh Yadav-led SP in the upcoming UP elections.

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New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections with Samajwadi Party (SP) and the final seat sharing will be decided soon, NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said on Thursday (January 13). 

“We've decided to contest elections with Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. One seat has been announced and talks are on for other seats. We will support the alliance which is forming in UP,” ANI quoted Malik as saying. 

We've decided to contest elections with Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. One seat has been announced and talks are on for other seats. We will support the alliance which is forming in UP: NCP leader & Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik pic.twitter.com/MFMNqKj0Mq — ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2022

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had announced on Tuesday that his party will ally with Akhilesh Yadav-led SP in the upcoming UP polls. "The people of Uttar Pradesh are looking for a change. We will surely see the change in the state," Pawar had said. 

A day after Pawar’s announcement NCP UP president Umashankar Yadav had met Akhilesh Yadav. Samajwadi Party took to Twitter to inform, “NCP`s Uttar Pradesh President Umashankar Yadav met National President Akhilesh Yadav and held a discussion on the election. NCP leader KK Sharma will be the joint candidate of the SP-NCP alliance from the Anupshahar - 067 assembly seat of Bulandshahr.”

Meanwhile, in a big jolt to BJP, three ministers have resigned in three days from the Uttar Pradesh cabinet. Akhilesh Yadav welcomed all three in SP after they announced their resignation. UP minister and OBC leader Dharam Singh Saini quit the Yogi Cabinet on Thursday, following the footsteps of Dara Singh Chauhan and Swami Prasad Maurya who quit on Wednesday and Tuesday, respectively. Maurya is likely to join SP on Friday. 

Hitting out at BJP over the flurry of resignations, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said today, "Not a single day passes when a BJP leader does not leave the party. Take UP, for example, 13 MLAs are leaving BJP to join another party. I have come to know that 4 BJP MLAs are leaving it today itself." 

The development comes in the wake of crucial UP polls. The state will vote in seven phases beginning from February 10. The counting of votes will be done on March 10. 

(With agency inputs)