Tuesday, January 27, 2009

SP wants to go with Cong, UKD with BJP LS Poll in Uttarakhand

Dehra Dun, Jan 25 Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has opposed any tie up with the SP in Uttarakhand where the BJP is finding it tough to reach a seat-sharing arrangement with its coalition partner Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD).

The opposition from the Congress has been mounting against the SP after the two parties headed for a tie-up at the national level in the run-up to the general elections.

Since the SP has lost its base in Uttarakhand considerably following the separate hill statehood movement, the Congress now wants to contest all the five Lok Sabha seats on its own, party sources said.

But, the SP is interested in contesting Haridwar in a tie up with Congress, sources say.

On the other hand, UKD, a coalition partner of the BJP, said it was interested in contesting Lok Sabha elections from at least two seats in the hill state.

For this purpose, the UKD has sought a tie-up with the ruling BJP, party sources said.

However, the UKD&aposs move has put the BJP in a fix because Chief Minister B C Khanduri has already made a claim that the saffron party would win all the five seats.

When contacted, UKD president Narayan Jantwal said that in case no arrangement was reached with the BJP, the party would contest all the five seats on its own.

Meanwhile, suspense has grown within the BJP and the Congress over the selection of candidates for the elections.

Despite remaining out of Uttarakhand for a long, former Andhra Pradesh Governor N D Tiwari is being seen as a hot contender for the prestigious Nainital seat.

Source: http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/486651/National/1/20/1

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