By Pradeep Kapoor
The cadres of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are in upbeat mood in Uttar Pradesh as for the first time, the grassroots workers are getting the confidence that the BJP can be defeated in the state after the conclusion of the seat sharing deal between the two parties. At the other end, the BJP state leaders are panicky though the senior leaders of the party exuded public confidence that they would be getting 65 seats out of the total of 80 seats from the state.
But the saffron camp was fully aware of the possible implications of this alliance with Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Yatra passing though the state. The participation of the SP leader Akhilesh Yadav after sealing the seat sharing agreement, is giving a new impetus to the Yatra. Rahul Gandhi is getting a massive response to his Yatra already. This will be more widespread after the joining of Akhilesh and other SP leaders.
In fact, big support to ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of Rahul Gandhi forced Samajwadi Party national President Akhilesh Yadav to expedite the seat sharing for Lok Sabha polls for crucial 80 seats from the state. The manner in which muslim community in large number participated in Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Lucknow and other places , forced Samajwadi Party leadership to read the mood of the people.
On the other hand, Congress leadership also realised that Akhilesh Yadav would join the Yatra only after seat sharing so they also expedited the seat sharing. Initially Congress wanted 20 seats in UP but later on compromised on 17 seats and agreed to give one seat to SP in Madhya Pradesh.. Congress got the prestigious Varanasi seat where UPCC. President Ajay Rai contested against PM Narendra Modi during last two elections. Initially Samajwadi Party had included Varanasi in their list.
There was tremendous pressure from powerful Muslim community on Samajwadi Party and Congress leaders to join hands to prevent a split in the minority community votes. During the last assembly polls the majority of muslim votes went to Samajwadi Party but in view of Lok Sabha polls the mood shifted towards Congress due to aggressive attitude of Rahul Gandhi who continues to attack BJP.
Samajwadi Party has now 63 seats to contest and the party can share with smaller parties and caste based groups. Samajwadi Party will negotiate with Bheem Army of Chandra Shekhar Ravan having influence in dalit community in Western UP, Jansatta Dal of powerful Rajput leader and former minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh also known as Raja Bhaiyya, Mahan Dal and others.
It would be worth mentioning here that during last Lok Sabha polls, BJP had won 62 seats followed by 10 BSP, five by Samajwadi Party two by Apna Dal and one by Congress. In 2017 assembly polls, Samajwadi Party was in alliance with Congress but it could not help Akhilesh Yadav to retain power. BJP surprised everybody when party came to power with more than 300 seats in UP Assembly after 2017 assembly polls and Yogi Adityanath became CM.
During 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party was in alliance with BSP. While Samajwadi Party could only retain five seats won in 2014 and BSP increased the tally from nil to 10. After the polls, BSP national president dissolved the alliance by putting blame on Samajwadi Party for its failure to transfer votes to BSP candidates.
It would be interesting to see whether Priyanka Gandhi contests from Rae Bareli in place of her mother Mrs Sonia Gandhi who has now been elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Although UPCC president Ajay Rai claimed that Rahul Gandhi will come back to his family seat Amethi, but no such decision has be taken by Gandhi family. (IPA Service)
