Congress leader Ajay Rai
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: The Congress on Tuesday said that irrespective of the outcome of seat-sharing talks with the Samajwadi Party both the parties will contest the November 13 bypolls unitedly.
The Congress had demanded five of 10 assembly seats but the Samajwadi Party had last week said that the Congress has agreed to contest just two seats, giving the rest to the SP.
The Election Commission has announced byelections on nine seats, leaving out Milkipur (Ayodhya). The last date for filing nominations is October 25.
"Irrespective of the outcome of the seat-sharing talks with SP, INDIA bloc will contest bypolls unitedly," UP Congress president Ajay Rai told PTI.
The SP has already declared candidates for seven seats-- Karhal, Sisamau, Phulpur, Milkipur, Katehari, Majahawan and Meerapur.
"Our agreement is final with the Congress. Of the 10 seats, the Congress will contest on two, Khair (Aligarh) and Ghaziabad, while on the rest eight, the SP will contest," SP Spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury had told PTI.
Bypolls are set to be held to nine assembly seats -- Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sisamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad).
Nine of these seats fell vacant after their MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha polls, while bypolls are being held in the Sisamau seat due to the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.