The alliance between Samajwadi Party and the Congress was on the verge of collapse on Saturday after seat-sharing talks between the two did not go well, reported ANI. While the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh offered 100 seats, the Congress had demanded at least 120.

Although Akhilesh Yadav is yet to comment on the issue, Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal told ANI, “We told them that we can’t contest in less than 300 seats but [the] Congress was adamant as if they are a very influential party in Uttar Pradesh.” However, Congress state chief Raj Babbar rubbished such talks. “There has been no hindrance to the seat-sharing talks,” he said, adding that a final word on the alliance would be announced on Sunday morning.

Rumours that the tie-up had hit a roadblock were doing the rounds after the Samajwadi Party on Friday declared candidates for seven Assembly seats that the Congress currently holds. Earlier on Saturday, the alliance was brought into further question when Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi said, “An alliance breaks when a party asks for seats that are beyond its capability.”

On January 17, Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced that his party would fight the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections in alliance with the state’s ruling Samajwadi Party under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav. The details about the alliance would be announced in the coming days, he had said.

Uttar Pradesh holds 403 Assembly seats, which is more than any other Indian state. Polls will be held in seven phases, beginning on February 11.