After Rahul Gandhi’s mediation, Congress, SP to hold fresh talks on Madhya Pradesh alliance


Days after Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav accused the Congress party of “betrayal” in Madhya Pradesh, a ray of hope has emerged for the possible SP-Congress alliance in the poll-bound state. On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s initiative, fresh round of talks is taking place between the leaders of two parties.

According to SP sources, Rahul Gandhi reached out to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav after he expressed his anger in front of media, following which Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to him.

Senior SP leader Prof Ram Gopal Yadav has said that former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath is his friend. “There is no sourness of any kind with the Congress,” said Prof Yadav. Earlier, the SP MP had called Kamal Nath a “chhutbhaiya neta”.

It is known that Prof Ram Gopal Yadav is close to Akhilesh Yadav. The SP leaders were annoyed after some comments were made by the Congress leaders in UP and MP.

An SP leader, on the condition of anonymity, told The Statesman that even though the party has declared seats in Madhya Pradesh, if there is an alliance, we will withdraw our candidates.

The last date for filing of nominations for MP polls is October 30 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is November 2. The voting will take place on November 17.

Meanwhile, a high level meeting is going on at the state headquarters of the SP in Lucknow regarding the distribution of seats in Madhya Pradesh. After the intervention of the top Congress leadership, the party is reconsidering the situation in Madhya Pradesh.

The SP has released the list of total 33 candidates in MP so far. SP’s chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said that a real picture of SP-Congress alliance will emerge soon.