Prospects of an alliance between the Congress and the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh appeared set for collapse even before taking off. With the SP refusing to budge from its offer of 90-odd seats and the Congress not ready for anything below 120, sources in both camps conceded that an electoral tie up was more or less over!
Senior SP leader and Rajya Sabha member Naresh Agarwal also averred that the current situation meant that the alliance would not take place. Party vice-president Kironmoy Nanda had through the day dropped enough hints of all not being well between the two parties.
"We have offered them whatever best was possible, now the call is theirs," Nanda said in a reference to the reported offer of 90 seats from Chief Minister and SP national president Akhilesh Yadav. Senior Congress leaders sent by the high command from New Delhi also privately admitted to "things not going the right way".
Considering the BJP as common enemy which needed to be stopped at any cost, sources in the Congress however say "last minute efforts were underway to salvage the situation".
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi as his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are reported to be working on "some possibilities". The Gandhi scion is said to be furious at the "slight and disrespect" shown to the Congress by the SP leadership.
What apparently has cut the Congress leadership deep is the unilateral announcement of ten candidates by the SP on Friday for seats held by the Congress lawmakers in the 2012 state assembly elections. These seats are Shamli, Swar, Gangoh, Bilaspur, Hapur, Syana, Khurja, Kidwainagar, Mathura and Deoband.
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UPCC chief Raj Babbar and many others are dead against tying up with the SP. Citing the ruling party as both "unpopular and undependable", state Congress leaders are making a case of 'ekla chalo' (go it alone) for the party, with alliances with small regional parties like Peace Party.
With both parties eyeing the crucial 19 per cent Muslim vote in the state, things apparently are stuck at this level as well, a leader privy to the discussions told IANS.
The SP is also fielding candidates in the Gandhi strongholds of Amethi and Rae Bareli, which the Congress wants "un-interfered with". The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC), leaders said they have decided to go it alone in the first and second phase of polls.
The development is likely to divide the minority benefit and give the advantage to the BJP, which is eyeing power in the state after a gap of 14 years. The Muslims vote strategically to keep the BJP out of power and go with the party most likely to defeat the saffron camp. However, electoral history also shows that a divided opposition has always helped the BJP in a big way.
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Saturday also hit out at the Congress' bid to align with the SP for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, terming it a reflection of its political bankruptcy.
She accused Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav of conniving with his son and termed the Yadav family feud a "drama".
"Mulayam Singh with his son Akhilesh, has been engaged in a drama with the sole aim to divert the people's attention from the failure of the Akhilesh government," Mayawati told media persons here, referring to the 'war' between Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh that had led to speculations of a split in the party.
Mayawati also had a go at the Congress saying the party was on "life support" in the state.
Uttar Pradesh will see seven-phased polls, from February 11 to March 8, for its 403 seats.
(Mohit Dubey can be reached at mohit.d@ians.in)
--IANS
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