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Akhilesh hints at SP-Congress alliance
The Congress’ efforts to find a “buffer” support of MPs to reduce impact of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee’s repeated threats in recent past appears to have yielded results with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav conceding that an alliance with Congress is possible.
However, both the parties are likely to wait for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls to be over for taking a formal decision on the issue.
Congress sources have already indicated that the party will go for an alliance with Samajwadi Party which has 22 MPs in the Lok Sabha as “mercurial” Bengal Chief Minister is “totally unreliable” and is causing embarrassment to the ruling party practically every day. So, Akhilesh, who is now firmly in-charge of his party, on Saturday in Bijnaur said that SP will support the Congress to keep communal forces at bay has sounded music to the ears of the Congress.
Though SP had showed its willingness to join the UPA after 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had chosen only outside support as joining hands at that time would have caused problem for “go alone policy” of general secretary Rahul Gandhi who wanted to revive his party in the Hindi hinterland by contesting separately from any regional formation.
Akhilesh has, however, now put a caveat by saying that if Congress flops in the UP Assembly polls, his party won’t run to its rescue. However, with indications of polls throwing up a hung Assembly scenario and Congress improving from its present tally, both parties now realise that they need each other to counter BSP and BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
For the Congress the need for Samajwadi Party’s support is more acute at the centre to counter Mamata who leaves no chance to humiliate the UPA Government despite being its constituent. Now with Mamata daring the Congress to leave the West Bengal Government and her party leaders openly targeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reminding that survival of his Government depends on support of 19 Trinamool MPs, the Congress is in hurry to have “cushion” support of 22 SP MPs.
Also, the “policy paralysis” forced by Mamata on the UPA Government by opposing its various reforms agenda be it FDI in multi-brand retail, Pension Regulatory Authority Bill and her even siding with Opposition parties to move amendments on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill in the Rajya Sabha and refusing to accompany PM to Bangladesh thereby causing diplomatic problems for the Government has made the Congress realise that it now desperately need new alliance partners as Mamata is “completely unreliable.”
Though Congress central leadership is making placatory speeches that they will bridge the differences with alliance partner through negotiations, it realises that satisfying Mamata is not an easy job as at present the scale is heavily in her favour. It feels that once Mamata will realise that the Government’s survival is not totally dependent on Trinamool’s support, her approach will become softer. And this is why it wants an alliance with Samajwadi Party.
Samajwadi leader Mulayam Singh can’t afford to join hands with BJP to avoid loosing minority votes while BSP Chief Mayawati is his arch rival in the State.
be it on the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail, Akhilseh said on Saturday in Bijnaur that if Samajwadi Party will support the Congress to keep communal forces at bay. However, saying that an alliance with Congress is possible.
The Congress’ efforts to find a “buffer” support of MPs to reduce impact of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee’s repeated threats in recent past appears to have yielded results with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav conceding that an alliance with Congress is possible.
However, both the parties are likely to wait for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls to be over for taking a formal decision on the issue.
Congress sources have already indicated that the party will go for an alliance with Samajwadi Party which has 22 MPs in the Lok Sabha as “mercurial” Bengal Chief Minister is “totally unreliable” and is causing embarrassment to the ruling party practically every day. So, Akhilesh, who is now firmly in-charge of his party, on Saturday in Bijnaur said that SP will support the Congress to keep communal forces at bay has sounded music to the ears of the Congress.
Though SP had showed its willingness to join the UPA after 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had chosen only outside support as joining hands at that time would have caused problem for “go alone policy” of general secretary Rahul Gandhi who wanted to revive his party in the Hindi hinterland by contesting separately from any regional formation.
Akhilesh has, however, now put a caveat by saying that if Congress flops in the UP Assembly polls, his party won’t run to its rescue. However, with indications of polls throwing up a hung Assembly scenario and Congress improving from its present tally, both parties now realise that they need each other to counter BSP and BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
For the Congress the need for Samajwadi Party’s support is more acute at the centre to counter Mamata who leaves no chance to humiliate the UPA Government despite being its constituent. Now with Mamata daring the Congress to leave the West Bengal Government and her party leaders openly targeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reminding that survival of his Government depends on support of 19 Trinamool MPs, the Congress is in hurry to have “cushion” support of 22 SP MPs.
Also, the “policy paralysis” forced by Mamata on the UPA Government by opposing its various reforms agenda be it FDI in multi-brand retail, Pension Regulatory Authority Bill and her even siding with Opposition parties to move amendments on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill in the Rajya Sabha and refusing to accompany PM to Bangladesh thereby causing diplomatic problems for the Government has made the Congress realise that it now desperately need new alliance partners as Mamata is “completely unreliable.”
Though Congress central leadership is making placatory speeches that they will bridge the differences with alliance partner through negotiations, it realises that satisfying Mamata is not an easy job as at present the scale is heavily in her favour. It feels that once Mamata will realise that the Government’s survival is not totally dependent on Trinamool’s support, her approach will become softer. And this is why it wants an alliance with Samajwadi Party.
Samajwadi leader Mulayam Singh can’t afford to join hands with BJP to avoid loosing minority votes while BSP Chief Mayawati is his arch rival in the State.
be it on the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail, Akhilseh said on Saturday in Bijnaur that if Samajwadi Party will support the Congress to keep communal forces at bay. However, saying that an alliance with Congress is possible.
