‘Endorse 5 names or will field 25-30 Independents’: Maharashtra SP chief Abu Azmi warns MVA, slams Congress | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party, which is part of the opposition bloc INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) has threatened to field 25 to 30 Independent candidates in Maharashtra if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies do not endorse the five candidates that the party has already announced.
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi slammed the MVA for not clearing the picture on seat-sharing pact with other allies and called the delay “a big mistake.” The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party has made a formal request for 12 seats in the November 20 assembly elections and has already announced candidates for five constituencies.
“5 candidates that we have declared are going to win. I cannot wait like the (Maha Vikas Aghadi) people are waiting for. Only 2 days are left. It is sad that those who are talking about forming the government are not distributing tickets. It is a big mistake of the Maha Vikas Aghadi to delay so much. I expressed my unhappiness to Pawar Sahab (Sharad Pawar). I told him that I have declared 5 candidates. If you give me an answer, it is fine otherwise I have 25 candidates ready, I will field them as Independents,” Abu Azmi said.
The MVA allies, which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP(SP) have announced to contest 85 seats each, which makes it 255 out of the 288 assembly seats in the state. The three allies are in the process of dividing another 16 seats. The rest 15 will be allocated to other INDIA bloc parties which includes Samajwadi Party, PWP, CPM, CPI, and AAP.
The SP leader also targeted the Congress and accused the grand old party of backstabbing him twice in the past. “I am scared because the Congress has betrayed me twice in the past. They kept me waiting till the last moment and eventually did not give us any seats.”
He also slammed the Congress for delegating all decisions to Delhi. “The Congress loses because they keep going to Delhi for every decision. Why can’t the state Congress president be allowed to take decisions. This is an big mistake on their part. I am the state party chief and I take decisions for my party here,” he said.
Abu Azmi claimed that NCP-SP leader Sharad Pawar, who is one of the main architects of the MVA, had asked him to wait till tomorrow for a clear picture. “Sharad Pawar is the tallest leader of the MVA. There is no one of his stature in any other MVA party. I will wait for his answer till tomorrow, or else I will field my candidates as Independents,” the SP leader warned.
Interestingly, even as the SP state chief is threatening MVA allies over seats, for Uttar Pradesh bypolls, Akhilesh Yadav has announced that all INDIA bloc candidates will contest on the Samajwadi Party’s election symbol ‘cycle’. Bypolls are being held in 9 UP assembly seats.
Making the announcement on X, Yadav said, ‘Baat seat ki nahi jeet ki hai’ (It is not about seats but about winning).
“Under this strategy, the joint candidates of ‘India Bloc’ will contest on all the nine seats on the Samajwadi Party’s election symbol ‘cycle’. Congress and the Samajwadi Party are united and standing shoulder to shoulder for a big victory. India Bloc is going to write a new chapter of victory in this by-election,” Akhilesh said.

He also asserted that the Samajwadi Party’s strength has increased manifold with the support of the Congress party’s top leadership and booth-level workers.
“With this unprecedented cooperation and support, every worker of ‘India Bloc’ in all the nine assembly seats has been filled with new energy with the resolve to win. This is an election to save the country’s Constitution, harmony and the honour of the PDA. That is why our appeal to everyone is: not even a single vote should be reduced, not even a single vote should be divided,” the SP chief added.
(With inputs from agencies)