Congress Not To Field Candidates For UP Byelections; Announces Support For INDIA Bloc Candidates

Congress on Thursday declared unconditional support to INDIA bloc candidates fighting on Samajwadi Party (SP) symbol, and said it does not field candidates for the Uttar Pradesh assembly byelections. The by-polls are scheduled to be held on November 13 for nine constituencies in the state.

The decision was taken following a meeting within party central and state leadership. On Wednesday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced that INDIA bloc candidates will contest all nine seats in the state on his party’s election symbol. The grand old party was reportedly bargaining with SP to contest at least three seats out of the nine in the upcoming byelections in the state.

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The announcement was made by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of UP, Avinash Pande, at a press conference in Delhi.

Declaring the party’s decision not to field candidates, Avinash Pande said that the BJP was posing a threat to the Constitution and brotherhood. “Against the backdrop of growing political and social tension and the goal with which I.N.D.I.A. was formed, we have decided that the Congress will not field candidates for bypolls in UP We will work unitedly to help I.N.D.I.A candidates win this election,” he said.

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When asked if the Congress was surrendering before SP, Pande said it was not the time think about growing the organisation, but to fight unitedly to save the Constitution and ensure that peace is not disturbed, adding that it was also not about contesting two or four seats but about fighting together to achieve common aim.

As a responsible national party, the Congress leader said, it has some duty to raise above the partisan politics, requesting all party members to support INDIA bloc candidates in the byelections.

पिछले दिनों UPCC के नेतृत्व में सभी 10 विधानसभाओं में ‘संविधान बचाओ संकल्प सम्मलेन’ का आयोजन किया गया।

अगर आज BJP को नहीं रोका गया, तो आने वाले समय में संविधान, भाई-चारा, आपसी सौहार्द कमजोर हो जाएगा।

यूपी कांग्रेस के कार्यकर्ताओं ने संकल्प लिया है कि इन चुनावों में BJP को कड़ी… pic.twitter.com/x2iwUiaku1

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 24, 2024