Akhilesh Yadav’s “no sacrifice” appeal ahead of the Maharashtra election: “If MVA won’t keep us in alliance…”

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, has stated that “sacrifice in politics” has no place in the ongoing battle between the party and Maha Vikas Aghadi over the seat-sharing formula for the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Akhilesh Yadav told ANI on Sunday that the party would run for election in seats where it has strong popular support in Maharashtra if MVA did not retain the SP in the alliance for the state’s elections.

According to the SP supremo, the party would run for seats where it will receive votes or where its members are well-known. Additionally, he stated unequivocally that the Samajwadi Party will not run for any seats that would be detrimental to the coalition.

“The state (Maharashtra) president of the Samajwadi Party will decide. First, we will try to be in an alliance. But, if they (MahaVikasAghadi) won’t keep us in the alliance, we will contest on those seats where we will get votes or we have our organisation working there. We will contest those seats, which will not harm the alliance. But, in politics, there is no place for sacrifice,”  Yadav said.

Regarding the Samajwadi Party’s long-standing demand for five seats in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the MVA has not yet made a decision. The partnership has been repeatedly criticized by the party for postponing a decision on SP’s demand. Abu Azmi, the chief of the Samajwadi Party Maharashtra, stated on Saturday that the party would be forced to run alone if it did not receive any seats.

“We spoke to Sharad Pawar yesterday. He said that we will decide today but I did not receive any call today. The seats which I had been demanding are being announced. I think that we are going to face betrayal like the previous two terms. Looks like they don’t want to give seats to the Samajwadi Party. I don’t want the MVA to break and the votes to be divided but if they don’t listen to us then we won’t have an option but to contest alone. I have spoken to Akhilesh Yadav. He has given me complete authority,”  quoted Abu Azmi.

Abu Azmi informed the media that the party is now preparing to run for at least twenty seats in the state, expressing disappointment with MVA’s response to the SP’s proposal. Abu Azmi has previously cautioned the top leaders of the MVA that their ignorance will be the cause of any harm to the alliance caused by a vote split.