SP not happy with Congress' list of candidates in UP

New Delhi: Refusing to give more than 17 Lok Sabha seats to Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party on Friday, expressed unhappiness over Congress' announcement of 24 candidates, saying it amounted to writing an "obituary" for the alliance.

"Samajwadi Party cannot leave more than 17 seats for Congress in Uttar Pradesh," SP General Secretary Amar Singh asserted, indicating trouble for seat-sharing talks with the Congress in the state which has 80 Lok Sabha seats

Criticising Congress for announcing 24 candidates from the politically important state, he said "it amounted to writing an obituary for the SP-Congress alliance."

He, however, said that SP would not field candidates in Rae Bareily and Amethi from where Congress President Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi will contest, irrespective of whether the tie-up happens or not.

"Whether the alliance takes place or not, we will not field candidates in Rae Bareily and Amethi," Singh said.

The Congress on Wednesday released a list of 24 candidates, striking back at the Samajwadi Party which has unilaterally announced 62 nominees so far even as seat-sharing talks are still underway.

However, both Congress and SP have not yet announced break down of channels of communication.