Pre-poll alliance between Congress and Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party has almost been inked with last minute negotiations underway.
According to media reports, the coalition talks were driven by Akhilesh’s wife Dimple Yadav and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi.
Recently a meeting between Priyanka and Dimple took place in Delhi which brought positive results. Although both the leaders do not hold any major designation within their parties, they are bound to be the major influencers due to their families.
Both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are keen to enter the poll fray together but the feud within Uttar Pradesh’s first family delayed the announcement of pact. Parties also want to hold joint rallies featuring Priyanka and Dimple.
Earlier this week, reports were doing the rounds that the SP and Congress will jointly launch their campaign with Akhilesh, Dimple, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka sharing dais together.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday said that he does not rule out the possibility of a pre-poll alliance with the Samajwadi Party.
"We are not ruling out anything. We are neither saying yes nor saying no. The Congress is ready and raring to go in each of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh. All preparations are done and candidates are ready," Singhvi said.
"As far as alliances and adjustments are concerned, we understand and know that this is a highly evolving, rapidly transforming minute-to-minute situation. Therefore, in these circumstances, I am neither agreeing nor disagreeing with any of the speculations," he elaborated.
"The correct thing to do is to wait for the opportune moment to let you know. But, let no one be in doubt about our preparedness and eagerness to enter the battle in the state," the party leader said.
According to news agency IANS, an informed source within the Congress said the alliance is happening ‘99 per cent’. The party insiders said that alliance talks are happening but have been stalled temporarily due to the internal divide within the Samajwadi Party.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, the supremo and President of the Samajwadi Party, has not been supporting the idea of an alliance with any party. But his son Akhilesh had said that the coalition can together bag 300 seats.
While Akhilesh is looking to get another term, the Congress wants to be the kingmaker this time. The grand old party had secured just two seats in the last Lok Sabha elections with party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi emerging victorious from their traditional seats of Rae Bareli and Amethi, respectively.
The Congress is in political wilderness in Uttar Pradesh since 1989 following emergence of divisive ‘Mandal-Mandir’ politics and rise of the BSP, which took away its crucial Dalit vote base.
Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, will go to the polls in seven phases between February 11 and March 8. Results will be declared on March 11.
