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Liz Mathew in New Delhi
The Samajwadi Party has said that it may team up with the Congress in a bid to rout the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The SP, which played a key role in preventing Congress chief Sonia Gandhi from becoming prime minister two years ago, said it was confident of winning in Uttar Pradesh, but was aware that the Congress enjoyed vital pockets of support.
"Of course, the Congress' support could be crucial for us in some seats," said a party leader. "We would be engaging a pre-poll or post-poll alliance with them."
Added Akhilesh Singh, an SP member of Parliament: "If the Congress is ready to play positive politics, we are ready to be with it."
But Singh told IANS that the SP still had problems with the Congress.
"The Congress should review its position. If it wants the BJP to be defeated, it should play politics accordingly."
The Congress refused to comment on a possible tie-up with the SP, but claimed the latter cannot take power in Lucknow without its support.
"They are aware that a non-BJP government is not possible without us in both Lucknow and New Delhi," Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma told IANS.
Sources in the Congress said it was sending feelers to the SP.
Asked about it, Sharma said: "It is premature to comment on it." He, however, said "positive politics" cannot be one-sided. "They want our support in Lucknow, but are not ready to support us in New Delhi. How is that possible?
"One thing is sure, the last Lok Sabha and subsequent local elections in Uttar Pradesh have shattered the myth that the Congress party has ceased to exist in the state."
Singh asserted that the SP was supremely confident of coming on top in the assembly polls expected to be held between October and March.
The SP is pulling out all stops to overcome the challenge of the other two powerful parties in Uttar Pradesh - the ruling BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Confident about the support of Muslims and a section of backward communities, the SP is out to woo some of the upper castes reportedly unhappy with the BJP's performance.
"If the ticket distribution goes as well as we have planned, everything would be smooth for us. Then nobody can stop us from coming to power," said Akhilesh Singh.
He claimed his party had gained the confidence of a major section of the 54 per cent of voters belonging to the other backward communities. "We have given each section its share in various elections and bodies. The small communities trust us. While nominating members to the Rajya Sabha and the legislative council, our party considered communities like Sakyas, Kumhars, Mallyas, Lodhis and Nishads."
The strategy seems to have partly succeeded. Local newspapers report that two BJP Brahmin leaders have reportedly joined the SP in Lakhimpur. While SP leaders claim it would fight both the Congress and the BJP, privately they say an alliance with the Congress would help them.
Indo-Asian News Service
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