A surprise agreement between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party to form a coalition government in Uttar Pradesh yesterday rang the curtains down on 17 months of Presidents rule in Uttar Pradesh, took the edge off the demands for Governor Romesh Bhandaris recall, and put in place a powerful socio-political coalition that has the potential to dominate the next general elections.
After announcing the marriage, the two parties senior leaders left for Lucknow last night. They intend to stake their claim this morning.
The tie-up dealt the Congress UP unit a possibly lethal blow, but may strengthen the United Front (UF) government at the Centre. A further-weakened Congress is less likely than before to withdraw support, a senior BJP leader remarked after the alliance was announced.
As the BJP gains, the UF constituents may in the short-term be jolted to iron out their differences, within the front and with the Congress.
However, the rump of the Congress in the state, and the party at the national level, too, is likely to gravitate towards the Samajwadi Party (SP), eager for its support among the minorities and many of the backward castes. That could lead to a new balance of power at the Centre, the potential axis of Congress chief Sitaram Kesari and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav being pivotal.
Perhaps sensing this, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary H S Surjeet said that the Congress should do some rethinking after being deserted by its erstwhile ally. We have no objection to the installation of a popular government. But, this arrangement will not last.
Other UF leaders were disparaging. It is like a camel and an ox trying to pull a cart. It will not last, said Janata Dal (JD) working president Sharad Yadav. Indeed, the BJPs support from outside to Mayawati did not last beyond four months in 1995.
Kalyan Singh had forced the withdrawal after the BSP thwarted a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) agitation at Mathura and organised a fete in honour of Tamil Dalit social reformer Periyar in Lucknow.
