Congress, SP engage in row over seat-sharing issue for UP bypolls

While the SP has already announced candidates for six seats earlier, it announced a seventh on Thursday claiming the Congress has agreed to contest only two seats, media reports said..

However, the Congress disagreed, demanding five of the 10 seats for the by-polls scheduled to be held in November.

However, the demand is on a considerably weak footing after its miserable performance in Haryana.

The SP has already declared candidates for seven seats including Muzaffarnagar's  Meerapur from where it has fielded Sumbhul Rana.

The Congress wanted this seat, but according to NDTV, the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is ready to give it only two seats -- Khair and Ghaziabad.

NDTV quoting sources said the SP chief has relented as the party is interested in contesting two seats in Maharashtra as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi Alliance.

After the Congress's poor show in the Haryana election, the SP had snubbed its request for seat sharing in the by-polls.

Nine of the assembly seats in UP fell vacant after their MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha polls. Bypolls are being held in Sisamau owing to the disqualification of its MLA, Samajwadi Party's Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case. Except Milkipur, the Election Commission has announced polls on the remaining nine seats.

The polling seats will be held on November 13.

The candidate for Meerapur, Sumbul Rana, is the daughter-in-law of former BSP MP Qadir Rana, who has now joined the Samajwadi Party. Sumbul Rana's husband is Shah Mohammad Rana.