With a survey predicting a BJP rout in Uttar Pradesh if the Congress were to be part of the SP-BSP alliance in the Lok Sabha elections, speculation is rife about a possible re-alignment of anti-BJP forces in the State.
What gave grist to this rumour is a statement of Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi on Wednesday that the Congress is still open to an alliance with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
“We have a common goal to defeat the BJP. Therefore, the Congress is open for an alliance if they (SP and BSP) approach them,” he said.
“As I have said, I have immense respect for both Mayawati and Akhilesh. But the Congress party is not going to play on the back foot. Not in UP, not in Gujarat,” said Rahul.
Rahul’s statement came just hours after Priyanka was made incharge of eastern UP.
By evening when the survey was released saying the BJP would be able to win just 5 seats if SP, BSP and Congress joined hands, murmurs started in Opposition ranks that all the three major players may join hands and give a united fight to the BJP.
Dr SP Pandey of Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Institutes of Studies in Rural Development said the Congress stake has gone up after party inducted Priyanka in the mainstream politics. “Her induction as national general secretary as well as in-charge of eastern UP will definitely invigorate Congress workers and the fight in UP is reduced to three corner. This scenario will help the BJP,” Dr Pandey said.
If SP, BSP and Congress joined hands it will prevent division of Muslim votes and upper caste.
Political pundits said despite the Congress’ dismal performance in the recent electoral battle in the State when it won just two Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and seven seats in 2017 Assembly elections, Congress’ vote share is almost 12 per cent. After Congress recent success in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and Priyanka’s nomination as national secretary the party is hopeful of improving its performance.
“Congress will be able to attract minority votes because for the party has in the past has been the first choice of Muslim voters, who relaise that only the Congress can counter the BJP at the national level. Priyanka’s entry into active politics is bound to further change the permutation and combination of all the parties,” Dr Pandey said.
In this scenario, the leaders of the SP and BSP may have to rework their strategy to ensure that the BJP did not capitalise on division of opposition votes in the State, he said.