BJP gives 9 seats to allies in UP

LUCKNOW: BJP has alloted nine seats to its allies Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Janta Dal(U) in UP. RLD will contest on seven parliamentary seats
while JD (U) will fight on two seats. BJP will contest on 71 out of total 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

JD (U) has been given Salempur and Badaun seats. From Salempur, Ravi Shankar Singh alias Pappu Singh, MLC from Ballia, is expected to be JD(U)'s candidate. Singh is the grandson of late prime minister Chandrashekhar's brother, disclosed a party source.

Earlier, JD (U) had demanded three seats but BJP has decided to field its own candidate in Meerut from where party is expected to field a traders' leader. The trader community had not got due representation in ticket distribution, said a party source.

RLD as announced earlier will contest on seven seats. RLD chief Ajit Singh will contest from Baghpat and his son Jayant from Mathura. Other seats allotted to the party are Hathras, Nagina, Muzaffarnagar, Amroha and Bijnor.

The two allies had also asked for Saharanpur and Sambhal but the BJP has decided to field its candidates on these seats.