SP's Abu Azmi wants to be a part of Congress-NCP alliance

Mumbai, Mar 13: Samajwadi Party Maharashtra president Abu Asim Azmi on Wednesday said that wants to be a part of Congress-NCP alliance.

According to reports, Abu Asim Azmi had earlier issued an ultimatum to Congress on Tuesday to cement an alliance with his party in the state and give it one of five selected seats or the party will field candidates in several constituencies. The SP wants one from among Mumbai South, South Central, Mumbai North, North Central and Bhiwandi.

At a meeting attended by several senior clerics and community leaders at Nagpada, Azmi, the party's lone MLA, sought the community's opinion on whether he should blindly support the Congress-­NCP alliance or fight elections even if it helps the BJP­-Sena.

The SP has been trying for a 'secular' alliance with the Congress-­NCP in Maharashtra, though the SP and BSP have rebuffed Congress in UP while joining hands against all odds.

Currently, Azmi is an MLA from Govandi, and the party has six corporators in the BMC. Though it has lost much of its ground in the city over the
years, SP enjoys the support of a sizeable number of Muslim voters and a section of north Indians.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday said that talks of alliance with Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections had ended with no conclusive results and that he would be announcing candidates from all 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state on March 15 (Friday).

The Congress and NCP combine is likely to win between 18 and 20 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, an internal survey conducted by the Opposition alliance has indicated.

On Sunday, the Election Commission had announced the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections schedule. The dates for the seven phases are April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.