Verma’s daughter Dr Poorvi Verma, who had contested on the SP ticket from Kheri Lok Sabha seat in 2019 LS polls, was additionally more likely to be part of the Congress within the subsequent few days.

Sources mentioned that Verma resigned from SP after indications that the celebration may not subject him or his daughter from Kheri seat this time. Congress sources right here additionally hinted that just a few extra senior SP leaders have been more likely to swap loyalty within the days to return.

While Congress leaders right here rejected assertions that the celebration was making an attempt to ‘poach’ leaders of its I.N.D.I.A alliance accomplice, SP leaders termed the makes an attempt as ”towards the coalition dharma”.

”We do not poach leaders of different events however our doorways are open for anybody who believes in our ideology,” remarked a senior UP Congress chief right here when queried on this regard whereas chatting with DH on Saturday. A senior SP chief nonetheless mentioned that Congress and BJP had the identical ‘mentality’.

Lucknow primarily based media analyst J P Shukla mentioned that such developments have been sure to hit the I.N.D.I.A alliance in UP.

”There seems to be a belief deficit between the Congress and SP in UP,” he mentioned whereas chatting with DH.

Earlier, former UP minister and SP chief Omveer Tomar had additionally joined the Congress. According to the sources within the state Congress, the celebration was in contact with many different outstanding Muslim leaders from the western UP area and was making an attempt to carry them into its fold forward of the LS polls.

The growth got here shut on the heels of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks that his celebration will contest 65 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats within the state leaving the remainder for its alliance companions, which additionally embrace the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (Krishna Patel). Akhilesh’s remarks have come amid the disagreement between Congress and SP over seat-sharing method within the state.

Congress has been insisting on contesting round 20 seats in UP however SP desires to spare solely 7-8 seats.

Akhilesh had, just a few days again, accused Congress of ‘dishonest’ his celebration by refusing to have an electoral understanding with SP within the MP meeting polls and in addition claimed that Congress leaders had a ‘tacit’ understanding with the BJP.