As Congress and Samajwadi Party finalise an electoral alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Lok Sabha polls, it could be a difficult task for both of them to decide candidates on over half a dozen constituencies in which they had a tough contest in 2004 general elections.
The candidates of both the parties were preparing to contest the Lok Sabha elections on these seats much before the alliance was considered and these seats could become a bone of contention between the two partners, Congress party sources said.
The Rampur constituency witnessed a tough fight between SP nominee Jayaprada and Congress candidate Begum Noor Bano alias Mehtab Zamani Begum in the previous parliamentary election. Jaya defeated Bano and was preparing to contest the forthcoming polls before SP and Congress joined hands.
It being her home seat, Noor Bano was touted as a Congress candidate earlier while SP was banking on Jayaprada's magic for another victory.
There is a similar situation in Farrukhabad constituency.
In the previous election, SP candidate Chandra Bhooshan defeated Congress nominee and wife of senior party leader Salman Khursheed by a narrow margin.
This time Khursheed himself is gearing up to contest Lok Sabha election from this seat. However, being a winner, SP is not to willing to leave the seat for Congress, the sources said.
Khursheed, a known Mulayam baiter, is unlikely to find favour from the SP as far as seat-sharing was concerned.