UP Elections 2017: Congress Says It Will Contest All 10 Seats In Amethi, Raebareli

Notwithstanding its alliance with Samajwadi Party, Congress will contest all the 10 Assembly seats of Amethi and Raebareli, the Lok Sabha constituencies represented by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, respectively, in Uttar Pradesh, the party announced in Amethi on Saturday.

"According to the party high command, Congress will contest all the 10 seats in Amethi and Raebareli," said Congress leader Sanjay Singh, who heads the campaign committee of the party.

Fielding of candidates in Amethi and Raebareli was one of the issues of contention between Congress and Samajwadi Party during their talks to forge the pre-poll alliance.

Mr Singh claimed that Samajwadi Party had assured Congress that it (Congress) will contest on all the 10 seats in these Lok Sabha constituencies of the Congress vice president and the party president, respectively.

"Congress will contest on all the seats and the party is firm on this resolve," he stressed.

To a question on BJP fielding his estranged first wife Garima Singh from Amethi, Mr Singh said the party has "ignored its committed workers and given ticket to a candidate who is neither recognised nor has had any relation with the people of Amethi".

He went on to add that "Amethi has only one 'Rani' (queen) who is Amita Singh (his present wife) and had long been preparing ground for contesting from Amethi Assembly seat".

As per its alliance pact with Samajwadi Party, the Congress will contest 105 out of 403 seats of the UP Assembly.