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The negotiations between BJP and JD (U) for a seat sharing agreement in Uttar Pradesh have ended in a breakup. A day after BJP expressed its intention to go it alone in the February polls, JD (U) chief Sharad Yadav announced here on Monday that the two parties could not stitch up a poll alliance for UP.
Starting with a demand for 53 seats, JD (U) had finally zeroed in on 20 seats on the Bihar-UP borders, but that double the number BJP was willing to offer. “Our alliance (for UP) has ended. The BJP has humiliated us. We will boycott the State polls. If the State leadership is interested in fielding candidates, they are free to do so,” Yadav told reporters here.
Yadav was upset ever since the BJP came out with its first list of candidate for 134 Assembly seats, some of which were eyed by the JD (U). On Sunday, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu had said, “We will fight the elections on our own. There will be no alliance with any party except in Punjab where we will ally with Akali Dal. We will contest elections on our own in other States.”
Meanwhile, BJP's central election committee is expected to meet here in the next couple of days to finalise the name of candidates for over 150 more seats. “Our discussion is almost over and the CEC has to take a call now,” a UP BJP leader said.
BJP leaders from Uttarakhand and Punjab area are also expected in New Delhi between January 3 and 5 for discussion over the name of candidates. While UP goes to poll in seven phases between February 4 and 28, election will take place in Uttarakhand and Punjab on January 30.
Starting with a demand for 53 seats, JD (U) had finally zeroed in on 20 seats on the Bihar-UP borders, but that double the number BJP was willing to offer. “Our alliance (for UP) has ended. The BJP has humiliated us. We will boycott the State polls. If the State leadership is interested in fielding candidates, they are free to do so,” Yadav told reporters here.
Yadav was upset ever since the BJP came out with its first list of candidate for 134 Assembly seats, some of which were eyed by the JD (U). On Sunday, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu had said, “We will fight the elections on our own. There will be no alliance with any party except in Punjab where we will ally with Akali Dal. We will contest elections on our own in other States.”
Meanwhile, BJP's central election committee is expected to meet here in the next couple of days to finalise the name of candidates for over 150 more seats. “Our discussion is almost over and the CEC has to take a call now,” a UP BJP leader said.
BJP leaders from Uttarakhand and Punjab area are also expected in New Delhi between January 3 and 5 for discussion over the name of candidates. While UP goes to poll in seven phases between February 4 and 28, election will take place in Uttarakhand and Punjab on January 30.
