The spirited defence of Congress president Rahul Gandhi by Bahujan Samaj party chief Mayawati added to the confusion in Samajwadi Party ranks over the prospects of alliance with the Dalit-dominated outfit for the 2019 lok Sabha elections. What has further added to the confusion is the stern directive of Mayawati asking party leaders to refrain from issuing statement on alliance with any party for the upcoming lok Sabha poll.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mayawati specifically said: “In Uttar Pradesh and other states, until an alliance with a party is announced, BSP members should refrain from speaking anything on alliance at any level. They should leave it to the party brass.”
“By choosing not to make specific statement about alliance, Mayawati has added to the uncertainty and risk factor for aspirants of party tickets for 2019 lok Sabha poll. Presently, most aspirants are in the dark about seat-sharing and other issues,” said a Rajya Sabha MP of the SP.
Moreover, the SP is already at their wit’s end as Mayawati has not spoken a word about electoral alliance after Rajya Sabha elections held in March.
The BSP chief chose to keep silent after the victory of Rashtriya lok Dal candidate supported by the SP in Kairana lok Sabha bypoll in May. The BSP also did not extend its support to SP-RlD candidate Tabassum Hasan.
Meanwhile, amidst increasing talk of early general elections, the Samajwadi Party is keen on expediting talks for alliance and poll preparations. The party has also become alert by the growing belligerence of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh. These issues are likely to dominate the agenda of SP’s national executive meeting in lucknow on July 28.
last week, the PM was on a two-day tour of the state. Before that, he was in Noida to inaugurate the largest mobile manufacturing unit of Samsung.
Sources said that the SP executive was likely to adopt a resolution, authorising party chief Akhilesh Yadav to take all decisions regarding proposed alliances. The party also hopes to counter any possible efforts by the BJP to try and influence key leaders of the SP against the alliance with the BSP. A senior SP leader said that party chief Akhilesh Yadav was apprehensive that some ‘external reasons’ might sway some top leaders against the alliance.