Battle for UP Akhilesh threatens to quit INDIA over BSP
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s seemingly unprovoked outburst at the December 19 INDIA meeting over the possible inclusion of Bahujan Samaj Party in the opposition grouping left most of the attendees shocked. Akhilesh had announced at the meeting that his party would quit INDIA if the Bahujan Samaj Party was brought on board. He said he has heard that a move is afoot to rope in Mayawati.
The leaders of opposition parties present in the meeting were surprised by the SP chief’s comments as there has been no discussion on the induction of the BSP in any of the four meetings of the group held so far. According to sources, Akhilesh feels that a powerful section of the Congress is keen to ally with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh and it is only a matter of time before the induction of the party in the opposition group is proposed. His statement at the meeting was an attempt to pre-empt any such proposal.
Mayawati, who has kept away from both the INDIA bloc and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, was quick to remind the opposition leaders that “no one knows who might need whom in the future for the sake of the public and the country”. Directly targeting Akhilesh Yadav, she said parties that make such statements may face embarrassment later. Mayawati’s quick response to Akhilesh’s outburst is being seen as her readiness to do business with the opposition. The main battle for the 2024 elections is likely to be fought in Uttar Pradesh with both the ruling and opposition parties preparing to pull out all the stops.
Strategic Alliance Cong to reopen talks with Prashant Kishor
The Congress is likely to restart talks with poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor. The earlier talks between the two had broken down as Kishor wanted a position next to the Congress president with a free hand to manage all elections for the party. The party refused to accept his proposal as it would have rendered the entire party structure powerless with all powers, including selecting state presidents, conducting surveys and choosing candidates, going to Kishor.
But the situation has now changed with Kishor confining himself to Bihar, where the Congress has no leader of repute. According to sources, Congress leadership has expressed interest in working with Kishor in Bihar for the next Lok Sabha election. Kishor too has indicated his readiness by announcing that he is closer to the ideology of the Congress than that of any other party. Sources said that the newly-appointed Congress incharge of Bihar Mohan Prakash is likely to be asked to start discussions with Kishor.
Congress leaders did not rule out the possibility of fielding Kishor as an opposition alliance candidate in the Lok Sabha elections from Bihar. Congress also plans to use Kishor’s services to manage the party’s campaign in the next general election. His former deputy Sunil Kanugolu has delivered stellar results for the party in the Karnataka and Telangana assembly elections. This has reaffirmed the party’s faith in professional poll managers. Kishor and Kanugolu are likely to handle Congress campaign in the next election.
