Amidst the ongoing feud within the Uttar Pradesh’s first family, Samajwadi Party leader and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress party confirmed that they would announce the pre-poll alliance in the next 24 hours.
According to sources, Akhilesh offered 103 seats to the grand old party. 20 candidates from Samajwadi Party are likely contest on Congress’s hand symbol.
A day after Akhilesh’s faction won the battle for ‘cycle’ symbol, Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC general secretary in charge of UP, on Tuesday had said that the grand alliance would be officially announced in the next 48 hours.
Akhilesh’s uncle Ram Gopal Yadav was working on the grand alliance.
Congress party is most likely to announce a ‘Brahmin’ as its deputy chief ministerial candidate.
Sources said that the the grand old party is considering the names of former Dhaurahra MP Jitin Prasada, former Varanasi MP Rajesh Kumar Mishra, Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari and former Minister of State RPN Singh as deputy chief minister candidate.
There were also efforts to bring NCP, Trinamool Congress and Janata Dal (United) in the front to built a Bihar style grand alliance against BJP.
Earlier, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has declared that he and his son would be campaigning in UP to ensure the return of Akhilesh in power.
Reiterating it is an election to decide country’s future, Lalu said his party won’t contest in UP but will ensure the defeat of communal forces.
