1 hr ago
SP Leader Says Akhilesh Persuaded Rahul to Contest Raebareli
A Samajwadi Party politician said his party helped Congress win seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 election.
He said Rahul Gandhi was unsure about contesting from Raebareli, and that Akhilesh Yadav encouraged him to run.
The Samajwadi Party won 37 seats in the state, while Congress won six.
Patel said Congress could struggle if it ran without an alliance.
He also argued that the SP should have the larger say in Uttar Pradesh.
A Congress spokesperson disagreed and said the INDIA bloc helped Patel become an MP.
These comments show that the two allies disagree about how much each contributed and how they should work together.
Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel said Congress would have won no seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election without an alliance with the SP.
Patel claimed Rahul Gandhi was reluctant to contest and that Akhilesh Yadav persuaded him to run from Raebareli.
In Uttar Pradesh, the SP won 37 Lok Sabha seats and Congress won six; the BJP won 33.
Patel said Congress should accept a smaller role in Uttar Pradesh and predicted it could win zero seats if it contests alone.
Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi rejected Patel’s remarks, saying his election as an MP was due to the INDIA bloc.
- Who
- Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel and Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi; Patel discussed Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.
- What
- Patel said the SP alliance enabled Congress's Uttar Pradesh wins and that Akhilesh persuaded Rahul Gandhi to contest from Raebareli; Congress disputed his framing.
- Where
- The claims concern Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Raebareli constituency.
- When
- Patel made the comments on Saturday; the election discussed was the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
- Why
- Patel was arguing that the SP was central to the INDIA bloc's success in Uttar Pradesh and should have the larger role in the state's alliance.
Samajwadi Party's account
Congress's response
Credit for Congress's 2024 wins
Samajwadi Party's account
Patel said Congress would have won no seats without the SP alliance and that SP votes helped it secure six seats.
Congress's response
Awasthi said Patel became an MP because of the INDIA bloc and criticized his remarks.
Alliance leverage in Uttar Pradesh
Samajwadi Party's account
Patel said the SP was much stronger in the state and that Congress should accept a smaller share; he predicted Congress could win zero seats if it contested alone.
Congress's response
Awasthi called on the SP to rein in leaders making such statements and said Patel should avoid them.
Key facts
- SP seats in Uttar Pradesh, 2024
- 37
- Congress seats in Uttar Pradesh, 2024
- 6
- BJP seats in Uttar Pradesh, 2024
- 33
- Uttar Pradesh Assembly size
- 403 members
- Current Congress MLAs in Uttar Pradesh
- 2
- Current SP MLAs in Uttar Pradesh
- 101
- Congress spokesperson responding
- Anshu Awasthi said Patel should recognize that the INDIA bloc helped him become an MP.
Quotes
Shiv Pal Singh Patel
Samajwadi Party MP from Pratapgarh
“The Samajwadi Party must work to rein in leaders who make such statements. It is because of the INDIA bloc that he (Patel) has become an MP. He should know his limits and avoid making statements like these.”
rediff.com
“It was our national president who reassured and persuaded him, asking him to contest and warning that if he didn't, he (Akhilesh) would field his own candidate.”
rediff.com
Sources
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