Rift in INDIA over MP, Chhattisgarh seat-sharing

The five-State Assembly elections due this month have brought to the fore strained relationship among the major stakeholders of the four-month-old Opposition INDIA coalition alliance after the breakdown of Congress-Samajwadi Party seat-sharing talks in Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh. While SP is also considering fielding candidates in Chhattisgarh, after Madhya Pradesh — where the party announced a third list of two candidates on Friday — another major stakeholder in the INDIA bloc, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has also proceeded to announce its candidates in MP, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram. Sources within the Congress, the SP, and the AAP have stated that the apparent breakdown in alliance talks could have an impact on the INDIA bloc’s plans in Uttar Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. After Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s outburst over Congress not sharing seats in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, UPCC president Ajay Rai hit back on Friday saying the SP cannot blame his party as it released its list of candidates before the Congress and was benefiting the BJP by contesting separately. @@@@