SP to contest 298 seats, Congress 105

Lucknow, Jan 22
Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party on Sunday decided to contest 298 of the 403 assembly seats and leave 105 to its ally the Congress, party sources said.

This followed a telephone conversation in the morning between Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the sources said.

Earlier, the Samajwadi Party had agreed to let the Congress contest only in 90 seats.

The staggered Uttar Pradesh assembly election begins on February 11.