INDIA bloc’s focus is on Lok Sabha elections: Kamal Nath on tie-up prospects in MP

BHOPAL: Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Monday said the focus of the INDIA bloc is on Lok Sabha elections and it’s fine if this coalition happens in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.

Polling for 230 seats in MP will be held in a single phase on November 17 and votes will be counted on December 3.

“Look, discussions took place and are also happening. Ultimately, the INDIA bloc is at the central level. Discussion is going on at the central level. If it (coalition) happens (in Madhya Pradesh) it is fine but if not… Its (INDIA bloc’s) focus is at the central level, on Lok Sabha polls,” Nath told reporters in Bhopal.

He was replying to a question if Congress will contest the assembly polls in MP in coalition with INDIA bloc members like Samajwadi Party (SP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Notably, the opposition bloc had cancelled a joint rally, slated to be held in the first week of October, in Bhopal. Replying to a query about the Samajwadi Party, Nath said, “Various types of talks were held with SP. We want the SP to support us to defeat the BJP and they are also interested. I am thanking Akhilesh Yadav (SP chief) for his aim to defeat BJP. He told me that we are together to trounce (BJP)”.

Nath, however, said there are some complications in the poll arrangement (with allies) as Congress has to consider the local situation.

“There are some complications in this (alliance in MP), if they (SP) say that we will give the ticket to your (Congress’) candidate but our contestant says that we do not want to fight on the SP symbol, then what to do? Such things have come up. These are all practical issues,” the Congress leader added.

The SP has so far announced nine candidates while Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP declared the names on 39 seats for the Madhya Pradesh elections. SP leader Yash Bhartiya on Sunday said the party was planning to contest all 230 seats as of now.

In the 2018 assembly elections in MP, the Akhilesh Yadav-led party had won one seat- Bijawar in Chhatarpur district. When Congress fell short of majority despite emerging as the single largest party after the polls, two BSP MLAs, one SP legislator and four Independents provided support to the then Kamal Nath-led government.

The Nath government collapsed in March 2020, after being 15 months in power.