The Congress will not field its candidates for the bypolls to nine seats in Uttar Pradesh amid a deadlock with the Samajwadi Party, Congress General Secretary Avinash Pandey confirmed on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi along with the Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai, Congress general secretary Avinash Pande said party workers and leaders would unconditionally work to ensure the victory of Samajwadi Party candidates or that of other INDIA bloc parties.
The Congress leader said the prevailing political circumstances were not about strengthening the organisation or the party but about protecting the Constitution.
"The manner in which political and social tensions are rising in UP and in the country and keeping in mind the objectives with which the INDIA bloc was created, on that basis, the question is not about strengthening organisation or forwarding party interests but to save the Constitution and to strengthen mutual harmony," Avinash Pande said.
The announcement from the Congress comes a day after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said all INDIA bloc candidates would contest the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh on its 'cycle' election symbol. However, Pande clarified that the candidate and symbol both would be of the Samajwadi Party or any other INDIA bloc ally, and not of the Congress.
"We have to ensure the defeat of the BJP nominees so that it has a positive impact on the Assembly polls in 2027," Pande stated. He said that under the aegis of the UP Congress Committee, 'Samvidhan Bachao Sankalp Sammelan' were organised in all the 10 Assembly constituencies where bypolls are due to be held.
"If the BJP is not stopped today, then the Constitution, brotherhood and mutual harmony will weaken in the times to come," he alleged.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party on Thursday announced its candidates for the two remaining seats-- Ghaziabad and Khair, shortly after the announcement from Congress.
The SP named Raj Jatav from Ghaziabad and Charu Kain from Khair. Earlier on Wednesday, SP candidate Mohammad Mujtaba Siddiqui dashed the hopes of the Congress as he filed his nomination papers from Phulpur seat, where Congress was hopeful of fielding its candidate.
"Congress and Samajwadi Party are united and stand shoulder to shoulder for a big victory. INDIA bloc is going to write a new chapter of victory in this by-election," Akhilesh Yadav said in a post on X.
"With this unprecedented cooperation and support, every worker of 'INDIA bloc' on all 9 assembly seats is filled with new energy with the resolve to win," he added.