LUCKNOW: The reluctance of both the regional satrap--Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)-- to include the Congress in anti-BJP grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2019 has taken away the glory of its recently earned victory in three states of Hindi heartland.
As a result, the grand old party has initiated exercise of drawing an alternative plan to fall back as it has to go alone in the politically most crucial state which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha. As per highly-placed sources, the party, believably, will weave its strategy around scrupulously identified 30 seats where it has an acknowledgeable presence in Uttar Pradesh. On remaining 50 seats, the party will
not field its candidates in order to check the division of votes to BJP’s benefit.
“But this strategy will have to be announced formally otherwise it will create confusion in people’s mind,” warned a very senior Congress leader. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress tally had dwindled from 22 (2009) to just two seats—Amethi of Rahul Gandhi and Rae Bareli of Sonia Gandhi. It was runner up on six seats across the state mustering just 7.5 per cent of the total votes polled.
“We have been preparing for any eventuality as both SP and BSP had been dropping hints of keeping the Congress out of the alliance for quite some time,” said a senior Congress leader in Lucknow.
However, a section of Congressmen is relieved after Akhilesh’s Wednesday outburst. “In all probability, SP-BSP would not have spared more than eight seats for us. In that case, we would have ended up
surrendering our interests completely to the regional satraps,” said an old Congressman.
In fact, after failing to clinch an alliance with the Congress in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh ahead of Assembly polls, both SP and BSP had been maintaining a conspicuous distance from the grand
old party. Not only did they evaded the opposition congregation under Congress to chalk out 2019 strategy in Delhi on December 10, but also skipped the sswearing-inceremony of Congress CMs in three states.
The Congress is contemplating to hold meetings at various levels of the party to get feedback from its
grass root leaders and party workers before identifying potential candidates for UP.
“Recently concluded polls to three states prepared us for 2019. We are already in poll mode. Moreover, the victories have mobilised out cadre all the more,” said a Congress leader adding that the party
leadership was focusing on micro-level planning for 2019 to keep BJP away from power.
However, the political observers foresee possible emergence of another alliance in UP ahead of 2019, especially, after estranged uncle of Akhilesh and rebel SP leader Shivpal Yadav expressed his
willingness to join hands with the Congress to defeat the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Shivpal had recently floated Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia).
“If Shivpal and few other smaller outfits join Congress camp, sailing will not be easy for the SP-BSP tie-up,” said a veteran political scientist. However, he expressed doubt if Congress would be ready
for such an arrangement. The chinks in opposition’s armour had started appearing at the first test of its
unity during Gorakhpur and Phulpur byopll in March. While the SP had fielded its candidates on the two prestigious seats and BSP chief Mayawati had extended support to them, Congress refused to withdraw its candidates from the fray despite Akhilesh’s plea. However, the Congress was relegated to a distant third.
While the political pundits feel that if Congress goes it alone in UP, it might strategically help the gathhbandhan as it would divide the upper caste vote of the BJP. But they also caution that at the same time, the party may split the Muslim votes as well casting a shadow on the prospects of SP-BSP alliance.