Even when the Congress Chief Ministerial face Sheila Dikshit claimed to be ready to withdraw her fight for Akhilesh Yadav in case of an alliance with Samajwadi Party, AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has left the cadre wondering whether they will go it alone or go ahead with a pact to prevent communal forces from coming to power.
“No at this moment, we will not try to take advantage of any on-going fight within the Samajwadi Party,” asserted Azad while replying whether they will now had pact with Akhilesh Yadav, who was advocating an alliance and claiming that they will win over 300 seats together. However, Azad at the same time not out-rightly ruled alliance with other secular Parties.
“Congress is totally opposed to BJP but the party can still go with other parties from 40 to 60 per cent,” Azad said with leaders saying that it was an enough indication that the Party could forge alliance in the UP polls.
However, Azad announced that in next three days, from Thursday onwards, the 36 member State Election Committee would sit in lucknow to decide on the names of the candidates which will go to screening committee before recommending to Central Election Committee for final selection. Azad made above remarks while talking to media persons here on Wednesday afternoon.
Interestingly most of the leaders including State Congress president Raj Babbar and others attacked the BJP on the demonetisation move during the three hour long State executive meeting held here on Wednesday. They tried to skip the election issue besides avoiding to make any comment on the ruling Samajwadi Party and its infighting. The State executive meeting of the Party was held under the chairmanship of Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, though made a statement against the SP said that this fight in the family will end the Party. Former UP Congress president and chairman of the State Election Screening Committee Nirmal Khatri said that Congress should not go for any alliance and contest the elections alone.
“Congress has all the potential to win the elections in UP and form the Government on it’s own," he quipped during the meeting.
Meanwhile in New Delhi, Congress CM face Sheila Dixit reportedly advocated for an alliance with the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav. “Akhilesh Yadav is a good young leader and in case of alliance with SP, she will not hesitate to withdraw in his favour,” he asserted.
Meanwhile Raj Babbar disclosed that the frontal organizations and other units of the party would hold demonstration in front of district head quarters across the State to protest demonetisation on coming Saturday.
He said that on coming Monday, the women wing of the Party will stage similar demonstration as they were the worst sufferers of putting a ban of higher currency notes.
“The women, who had made small savings to meet out any eventuality are left with no other choice then to deposit those money in the banks just due to demonetisation”, Babbar said while attacking Prime Minister Modi.