Shiv Sena leader informed about the number of seats it will be contesting from in the UP Assembly elections and said, “I will be visiting western Uttar Pradesh tomorrow (Thursday)”.
Ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections scheduled to begin from February 10, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday announced that the party will contest 50-100 seats in the upcoming Assembly polls. Speaking to the media, Shiv Sena leader informed about the number of seats it will be contesting from in the UP Assembly elections and said, “I will be visiting western Uttar Pradesh tomorrow (Thursday)”.
It remains unclear whether the Sena intends to fight the polls in alliance with any other party. No such announcement has been made thus far. It has also not been divulged which seats the party intends to focus on.
Earlier on Tuesday, Raut had lauded Swami Prasad Maurya after the latter resigned as a minister in the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. “It is said about him (Maurya) that he anticipates aptly the direction of flowing wind in politics. When he is joining the Samajwadi Party, it means that it can be expected that BJP is not going to come back to power in Uttar Pradesh," Raut said.
Meanwhile, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday that his party will contest the Uttar Pradesh elections in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties.
"There is going to be a meeting of the alliance parties in Lucknow tomorrow. NCP UP chief will participate in that meet. We have had discussions about contesting some seats there, but after tomorrow’s meeting in Lucknow, we might decide upon the seat sharing," he said.
Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, the Election Commission said. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.