RAIPUR: Taking a cue from the Karnataka elections, Congress is exploring ways to work out a possible pre-poll alliance with regional parties in Chhattisgarh to ensure BJP doesn't get the benefit of vote division.
The party, according to Congress sources, is in touch with Mayawati-headed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP).
Chhattisgarh saw closely fought polls between BJP and Congress in 2008 and 2013. BJP won 50 seats (39.4 per cent vote share) and Congress 37 (36.78 per cent) in 2008. The saffron party won 49 seats, and Congress got 39 in 2013.
In fact, BJP vote share was barely 0.77% more than that of Congress in 2013. It won 10 more seats than Congress in the 90-member Assembly. But, the Congress-BSP combine’s vote share was 44.66 per cent — higher than BJP’s 41.04 per cent.
In 2013, BSP secured a little over 4 per cent vote share, which the Congress strategists asserted dented the party’s prospect in about 10 seats.
"Even a small percentage of vote-share assumes significance when it comes to elections in Chhattisgarh that has 90 constituencies. BJP benefited from division of opposition votes,” said Congress chief spokesperson Ramesh Warlyani.
BSP state president Omprakash Vajpayee said any decision on forming a coalition at state level will be taken by the party supremo, Mayawati.
“We look forward to consolidate votes through some pre-poll arrangements as BJP, which is bound to face anti-incumbency, shouldn’t get away to score on gaining seats due to division of votes,” a Congress leader said.
In poll-bound Chhattisgarh, BJP president Amit Shah has set an ambitious target of 65 seats.
“Congress might be engaged doing coalition arithmetics since it appears concerned over the people yet again willing to support BJP on development and good governance,” BJP state chief Dharamlal Kaushik said.