Nearly three decades after the emergence of caste-based identity politics in Uttar Pradesh and the gradual rise of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party that led to the decimation of the Congress, the success of the grand old party in the three states of Hindi hinterland in the recent Assembly poll threatens to unsettle the poll arithmetic of both regional parties in the state.  

Before the Assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, both parties had stated that they were not interested in accommodating Congress in the grand alliance in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Besides the SP and BSP, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Nishad Party and Peace Party are the other constituents of the alliance.

The SP had offered only two seats - Amethi and Rae Bareli to the Congress and both regional parties adopted strident postures against the Congress. The BSP even forged an alliance with former Chhattisgargh CM Ajit Jogi’s Janata Congress and contested the recent poll.

Even as lofty claims were being made about the emergence of anti-BJP grand alliance in UP, the two castes-based regional parties were keen on protecting their respective core voters, particularly Muslim vote bank.

The two parties which had become used to dictating terms to the Congress in UP for fighting communal forces’ share a chequered history of ties with the Congress.

But with radical change in the Congress poll fortunes, both the SP and BSP have extended unsolicited support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. They were now bracing for working out a seat-sharing formula with the resurgent grand old party.  

SP chief Akhilesh tweeted about his decision to support the Congress in MP only after Mayawati addressed the media in New Delhi on Wednesday and announced her party’s support to the resurgent party. The SP has got one seat in Madhya Pradesh while the BSP bagged two seats in MP and six seats in Rajasthan. “Had Mayawati been a little reasonable, she could have easily stitched an alliance in these Assembly polls itself. Today too, she said that the people voted for the Congress as an alternative with a heavy heart,” said a Uttar Pradesh Congress leader.

During the last three decades, it was in 1996 UP Assembly poll that the Congress and BSP fought in alliance where the Congress won over 40 seats. In the following elections, the BSP refused alliance with any party saying its votes were transferred to the electoral partner while it never got the vote of the ally.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav said: “We welcome the mandate. We didn’t perform well but we would like to thank the public of Madhya Pradesh for supporting us. We have decided to support the Congress in MP. The BJP has spread hatred and deceived the public. They will be given a befitting reply by the people in 2019 Lok Sabha poll.”

Asking the Congress to fulfill the promises made to the people of Madhya Pradesh and other states, Yadav said that the farmers’ loan waiver announced by the Congress should be implemented. “The alliance in Madhya Pradesh is an old matter and now everyone is looking towards the coming Lok Sabha polls where a united Opposition would give a benefiting reply to the BJP,” he said.