Earlier the Congress national secretary Imran Masood announced that he was formally joining the Samajwadi Party (SP) along with his supporters ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. Masood who has served the Congress for eight years has now resigned his post from the party and joined Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party. And now his partner Masood Akhtar finally revealed the reason for leaving the party, he said that he wanted to make an alliance with SP but the party refused, so therefore he decided to join SP for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
"We demanded an alliance (with Samajwadi Party) but that could not happen. There is a direct fight between SP & BJP, that is why Imran Masood & I have decided to join Samajwadi Party. We've sought Akhilesh Yadav's time for joining today" Congress MLA Masood Akhtar said.
He also said that he and his partner Imran Masood will seek the meeting with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for their joining.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India announced the voting dates for the Assembly polls of Uttar Pradesh. The UP will hold elections in 7 phases to elect 403 members of the Legislative Assembly in the state. The seven-phase election in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7.