The Congress party announced on Thursday that it will not field candidates in the nine Assembly seats undergoing by polls in Uttar Pradesh. Avinash Pandey, the Congress in-charge for the state, made this declaration during a press conference, emphasizing the party's support for the Samajwadi Party (SP).
“This press conference serves as an important notice for Uttar Pradesh, a focal point in the country’s politics,” Pandey stated. He highlighted the critical role of Congress in the upcoming by-elections, noting that the Election Commission has called for by-elections in nine out of ten vacant seats in the state. Pandey criticized the BJP, claiming it has spent the last decade undermining the Constitution and pursuing its political interests at the expense of societal unity.
He remarked, “In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the people of Uttar Pradesh gave the BJP a befitting reply. Today, Rahul Gandhi is touring the country with values aimed at protecting and saving the Constitution, striving to deliver justice to every segment of society.”
Reflecting on the party's decision, Pandey explained that it was made after consulting with the President of the UP-Congress Committee and senior leaders, along with obtaining consent from the Congress President. “The Congress Party will not field its candidates in UP. All candidates of the INDIA bloc will remain united and strong in their support for the Samajwadi Party,” he announced. Recently, the UP Congress held "Samvidhan Bachao Sankalp Sammelan" (Save Constitution Conferences) across all ten seats, which attracted thousands of attendees and workers. Pandey highlighted the success of these events, asserting that failing to counter the BJP and NDA now could lead to a weakening of the Constitution and brotherhood in the country.
Following this announcement, SP President Akhilesh Yadav stated that the INDIA bloc candidates would contest the bypolls under the Samajwadi Party's 'cycle' symbol. “We have decided to save the Constitution, Reservation, and Harmony. Our goal is to build the country of Bapu, Babasaheb, and Lohia's dreams,” he posted on X. Yadav reiterated that the joint candidates of the INDIA Alliance would contest all nine seats using the Samajwadi Party's election symbol, emphasizing that the focus should be on winning rather than the symbol itself. “For us, the end of BJP's misgovernance is paramount. It’s important to ensure security, peace, and the safeguarding of the Constitution,” he stated.
Moreover, he appealed to the public to remain united and vote cohesively, avoiding fragmentation of the vote. As of Tuesday, 15 candidates had filed nominations for the bypolls, with a total of 34 candidates by Wednesday. Nominations for the nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh will continue until October 25. The bypolls are scheduled for November 13, with the counting of votes set for November 23. The nine contested seats include Meerapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Karhal, Phulpur, and Katehari, while the Milkipur seat in Ayodhya district will not be included.