Up against intra-party resentment over aligning with Mahan Dal as per the decision of party general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress appears to be in a dilemma over further poll tie-ups with smaller outfits, including Shivpal Singh Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia).
Desperate to find the lost base in Uttar Pradesh which has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress continues to explore options of taking smaller parties on board and firming up alliances for the general elections.
Besides the tie-up with little known Mahaan Dal in UP, Priyanka has met Peace Party leader Mohammad Ayub and the latter is expected to meet senior Congress leaders in New Delhi later.
However, Nishad Party leaders, who had met Priyanka last Saturday, dragged their feet before reasserting that their outfit had an understanding with the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party alliance.
“Nishad Party is part of the BSP-SP alliance,” clarified Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad in a statement on Thursday.
Apna Dal (Sonelal) leaders, too, have met Congress leaders but after meeting Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah, they affirmed to go with National Democratic Alliance in the coming elections.
‘Yes, a meeting between the Congress brass and PSPL chief Shivpal Yadav is due and is likely to happen after Congress Working Committee meeting in Gujarat on February 28. The Congress is looking for smaller allies and an understanding with the PSPL is one of the options,” said a senior Congress leader.
“There is no confusion in the party over its relations with PSPL as the Congress has to counter the BJP in the 2019 polls,” the Congress leader said.
In the wake of escalation of tension along the country’s western borders, the Congress has cancelled its CWC meeting in Gujarat and this may delay talks with any party over a possible alliance.