Shivpal Yadav, heading the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) and the warring uncle of Samajwadi party President Akhilesh Yadav, terming the SP-BSP alliance as 'opportunistic’ and added that the rank and file of the Samajwadi Party would never accept the new political formation.
"It's an opportunistic alliance so it lacks credibility among people. The Bahujan Samaj Party, particularly ever since the breakup of its alliance with the Samajwadi Party in June 1995, had left no stone unturned to humiliate party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and other senior leaders like Janeshwar Mishra," said Shivpal Yadav on Tuesday, adding: "The results of the coming Lok Sabha elections would endorse my observation about the SP-BSP alliance."
Shivpal Yadav denied charges levelled by BSP chief Mayawati that his party was a proxy of the BJP. "I am not a purchasable commodity and it’s too well known about that she is neck deep in economic offences and also known for selling the party tickets during the Assembly and Lok Sabha election s." He claimed all those who had faith in social justice were looking at the SP-BSP alliance with suspicion and questioning its ultimate objectives. PSPL leader claimed that any anti-BJP alliance would not be viable without including his party and the Congress.
"Mayawati is notorious for selling the power she earns with the support of Dalits, OBCs and minorities to the BJP and she became the Chief Minister three times with the support of the BJP. Who can guarantee that she will not join hands with the BJP after the Lok Sabha elections?" charged Shivpal Yadav. He alleged that Mayawati as the Chief Minister framed a large number of Muslim youths in false cases and sent them to jail.
Shivpal Yadav rejected the claim of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati that only their alliance could take on the BJP and defeat the ruling party in UP and the Centre. "This is not 'gathbandhan’ but 'thugbandhan’ and the way they have decided to keep the Congress and the PSPL out of it raises question over its real intentions. Many are wondering whether the real objective of the alliance is to ensure the division of the votes of Dalits, OBCs and Muslims to pave the way for the easy victory of the BJP in Lok Sabha elections," alleges Shivpal Yadav.
Alleging that Mayawati would ditch Samajwadi Party after the Lok Sabha elections, Shivpal Yadav said: "Nobody knows about the possible course of action of Mayawati after the Lok Sabha elections and looking at her past record, anything is possible." He said it was too early to comment on the viability of the SP-BSP alliance and its impact on the Lok Sabha elections.
The PSPL has been allotted 'chaabi' (key) as the election symbol by the Election Commission of India. The PSPL is banking on the support of rebels of the Samajwadi Party who will be denied party tickets following its alliance with the Bahujan Samaj party. With only 38 seats in the quota out of total 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, there will be no SP candidate in as many as 42 seats. A large number of SP leaders aspiring for party tickets are set to seek alternative pastures and the most preferable destination is likely to be the PSPL.