SP-BSP alliance "confirmed" in Uttar Pradesh, says report

Reports of an alliance between Samjawadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh have been "confirmed" by the party leaders, as per a report by The Hindu citing sources.

"Alliance is confirmed. But the final decision will be taken by the national president," a senior SP leader was quoted as saying.

Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, respective party chiefs of the SP and the BSP, have reached an understanding over the arrangement. However, the announcement is being delayed till the last minute to give the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minimum chance to come up with an alternative narrative, the report suggested.

"Who knew till the last moment in Phulpur and Gorakhpur, and then in Kairana about the support by the BSP and then fielding of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate," the SP source told the publication.

According to the report, the two parties are also including the RLD in the electoral alliance, but showing little interest in accommodating the Congress. While the SP believes that giving the Congress space in the state would, in turn, make the election about "Rahul Gandhi vs Narendra Modi", the BSP also thinks that an alliance with the Congress would reduce the party’s bargaining power, the sources from the parties said.

The sources, however, said that at best they would leave just the Rae Bareli and Amethi seats for the grand old party. The two seats are bastions of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, respectively.

Amid reports that the SP and the BSP might leave the Congress out from an alliance in the state, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has said if his party is excluded from the coalition in the state, any nationwide anti-BJP front will be "weakened" and it may lead to a "stillborn situation".