'This election will be the most alliance-friendly one for Congress'

Rahul Gandhi being garlanded by party leaders during a rally, at Chanchal in Malda, on Saturday. Pic/PTI

New Delh: After much uncertainty, the Congress has finally succeeded in putting in shape alliances in some states for the Lok Sabha battle, with a functionary saying it will be the "most alliance friendly" election for the party. After being in power in Karnataka along with the JD-S, the Congress has formed major alliances in Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress is largely contesting alone in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh after being rebuffed by the SP and BSP. And its talks with the Left in West Bengal have crashed and there is also uncertainty over a tie-up with the ruling AAP in Delhi. In Assam, AIUDF appears keen to shake hands with the Congress to avoid a split in Opposition votes.

The alliances, party leaders hope, will not only help Congress candidates perform better but will also help it to form a post-poll coalition. Praveen Chakravarty, chairperson, Data Analytics Department of Congress, said the Congress would concede the most number of seats to allies and contest the fewest number in this parliamentary election.

The party has sealed an alliance with the Krishna Patel-led faction of Apna Dal. It has left two LS seats - Pilibhit and Gonda - for it. In Kerala, the Congress heads the United Democratic Front and there is no squabble in ticket distribution.

Karti on Congress' list of candidates

The Congress released its ninth list of 10 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, including Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, from Sivaganga constituency in Tamil Nadu. Karti Chidambaram had also fought the 2014 parliamentary polls from Sivaganga, the stronghold of his father, but lost to AIADMK's P R Senthilnathan. P Chidambaram had represented the constituency in 2004 and 2009.

BJP files complaint against Rahul Gandhi

The BJP has lodged a complaint with the chief electoral officer of Tripura against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for allegedly referring to party Chief Amit Shah as a "murder accused" at a rally. BJP Tripura Spokesperson Ashok Sinha on Sunday alleged that Gandhi "violated" the provisions of the model code of conduct as he had stated in his speech at the March 20 rally in Khumulwng that Shah was a "murder accused".

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