New Delhi: Akhilesh Yadav has set the cat among the pigeons hinting he may not be averse to a tie-up with Maywati to form the next government in Uttar Pradesh but it could well be a ploy to thwart any possible coming together of BSP and BJP in the case of a hung assembly.
Akhilesh said that he has always given “respect” to leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party and that no one would like “UP to be run by remote control by the BJP in case of a hung assembly,” in a statement to BBC radio’s Hindi service.
This has been widely interpreted as an overture to Mayawati for a possible post poll alliance, or a coming together of “secular” forces in Uttar Pradesh.
A News18-Gramener Poll of Polls gives the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance 133 seats in Uttar Pradesh, trailing close behind the BJP that could get 193 seats. Mayawati’s BSP stood third with 67 seats in the 403-member assembly. The projection is a weighted average of four exit polls.
SP and BSP had come together once in 1993 to form the government, a partnership that had a bitter end after Maywati withdrew support. SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav later described the alliance as a “political blunder”.
However, political commentators say the Akhilesh statement could well be aimed at a different constituency than top BSP leadership. In UP Polls 2017, Mayawati had heavily banked on a dalit-Muslim combination and apportioned around 100 seats for Muslim candidates. By offering a hand of friendship to BSP, Akhilesh could also be appealing to the party’s minority constituency who could resist any dilly-dallying with BJP.
On the face of it all three formations – BJP, SP-Congress combine and BSP – have dismissed the exit polls saying they are confident of clinching a majority.
The final results for UP Polls 2017 will be declared on March 11.
Here's the transcript:
Question: If you think you are taking BJP head-on in Uttar Pradesh, does it also mean that SP could join hands with Mayawati post results?
Answer: I cannot say anything about the alliance right now because I think we are coming to power with a majority. I have always respected the leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party. People think that we may go with the BSP, but I would like to assure you that SP-Congress alliance is coming to power with large numbers.
I still think that women, farmers, and youngsters have voted heavily for the Samajwadi Party because the BJP hasn't shown any work of its own. However, we don't know about the circumstances after results. Yes, nobody wants the President's rule in the state... Nobody wants BJP to run the state with a remote control.
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