Lok Sabha election 2024: SP will join Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra only when.... says Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday, February 19, said the party will join Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra only after seat distribution is finalised in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

Speaking to reporters, Yadav said, "Right now talks are going on, lists have come from them, we have also given them the list. The moment, seat distribution is done, Samajwadi Party will join their Nyaya Yatra."

The SP has offered 17 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The party said Yadav will join the yatra in Raebareli only if the proposal is accepted. "We have given a final offer of 17 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress. Akhilesh Yadav's participation in the Nyay Yatra in Raebareli on Tuesday will depend on their acceptance," Rajendra Chaudhary, the SP's chief spokesperson, told PTI.

The SP had earlier offered 11 seats to the grand old party while the Congress' state unit demanded a higher allocation.

The SP and the Congress are partners in the opposition INDIA bloc. The Congress secured victory only from the Raebareli seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh.

Today, the yatra reached Amethi via Bhadohi, Prayagraj and Pratapgarh. The yatra will reach Raebareli on February 20 from where it will proceed for Lucknow where Gandhi and other participants are likely to make a night halt. The yatra may be halted on February 20 as Gandhi has to appear before a court in a defamation case.

Also, Gandhi has decided to cut short his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh by skipping the western region of the state. The yatra entered the state on February 16 from Bihar at Chanduali where it halted for the night. Yadav had earlier said that he will join the yatra in Rae Bareli.

The yatra will traverse through Uttar Pradesh before entering Rajasthan. The east to west Manipur-Mumbai yatra will traverse 6,700 km through 15 states and aims to highlight the message of 'nyay' (justice) while meeting common people on the way.