By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav wants INDIA alliance should collectively challenge BJP in Uttar Pradesh during 2027 assembly polls to dislodge the saffron party from power. During recent meeting of INDIA alliance Akhilesh Yadav made it clear to Congress and other partners of INDIA bloc that it would be difficult to face BJP unless all parties joined hands.
Keeping UP elections in mind, the SP President said Congress should also take decision in consultation with regional parties keeping their strength at the ground. Akhilesh Yadav through his intervention at the INDIA alliance meeting made it very clear that he was willing to play important role at the national level but for him winning 2027 assembly election was very important.
Recently Rahul Gandhi said that Modi government will go in year’s time. Akhilesh Yadav said if Samajwadi Party government was formed after assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, then Modi government will automatically fall. Keeping seat sharing in mind former chief minister said that Congress leaders in the state were not serious about the challenge from BJP.
Akhilesh Yadav wants Congress Party should be realistic about demanding seats for assembly polls.. They should not put up demands without having ground support. The SP leader was also upset that there were attempts to meet BSP national President Mayawati by important dalit leaders of the Congress including one MP recently.
Akhilesh wants Congress to be supportive in UP rather than unnecessary demanding. Large number of seats from SP. Congress should realize that in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it improved it’s performance and gained in number of seats in alliance with Samajwadi Party.
There is a realisation among SP and the Congress leaders of UP that influential muslim community which accounts for 18 percent in the UP population do not want split in the votes. This is a great pressure to keep them united.
The SP president wants Congress Party to behave like the eldest brother and should keep the INDIA bloc together objectively taking into account the regional parties and their strength in the regions rather than becoming their competitor in demanding seats.
Significantly, whatever Akhilesh Yadav may have said at INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, the seat sharing will be the biggest challenge for Congress as well as Samajwadi Party.
Akhilesh has already started the process for holding survey at every assembly constituency to identify suitable candidates. He has also engaged certain professionals to do the jobs beside looking at party level also to find out the winnable candidates.
Former MP and former chairman of All India Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled has sought meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to start the process for the seat sharing between the two parties which would enable them to start campaigning at the earliest.
There is a feeling among SP and Congress leaders in UP that after decimating TMC in West Bengal assembly polls and causing split in the party BJP and other members of the Sangh Parivar are in upbeat mood so unless united it would be very difficult to dislodge BJP in UP. (IPA Service)
