BSP Supremo Mayawati said that the tie-up between SP and BSP is limited to bypolls and Rajya Sabha elections adding that no ‘Grand Alliance’ is in making ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Just a day after BJP’s remarkable win in North-east assembly elections, the arch-rivals, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party announced to support each other in the upcoming bypoll elections. In Uttar Pradesh, two seats from Phulpur and Gorakhpur are going for bypolls on March 11.
Interestingly, both the seats have been BJP stronghold, traditionally. While Gorakhpur is UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s constituency, Phulpur was a constituency of UP Deputy Chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. The move comes as the opposition is devising a “Grand-alliance” to defeat the BJP in the forthcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Samajwadi Party even termed the move the foundation of “a bigger Bahujan secular alliance”.
BSP to Support @samajwadiparty in the LS By-Polls in Phulpur & Gorakhpur . Much awaited decision by Mayawati Ji . Looking forward to contesting together & creating a larger Bahujan secular alliance . pic.twitter.com/5uD4lOUYnT
— Pankhuri Pathak پنکھڑی (@pankhuripathak) March 3, 2018
In her tweet, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Pankhuri Pathak said that the go-ahead from BSP Supremo Mayawati was “Much Awaited”. The tweet read, “BSP to Support @samajwadiparty in the LS By-Polls in Phulpur & Gorakhpur. A much-awaited decision by Mayawati Ji. Looking forward to contesting together & creating a larger Bahujan secular alliance.” As the news spread, a few hours later she again tweeted confirming the SP-BSP tie-up for the bypolls.
BSP & @samajwadiparty to fight by-polls together. It’s official. Congrats to both parties & all members . Time to score that win ✌
— Pankhuri Pathak پنکھڑی (@pankhuripathak) March 4, 2018
However, BSP Supremo Mayawati maintained that the tie-up between SP and her party is only for the bypolls and Rajya Sabha elections. She also denied any ‘Grand Alliance’ in making ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She said, “There are reports doing rounds in media that we are forming a coalition for 2019 Lok Sabha election. However, these are just rumours. We have decided to support the SP candidates to keep the BJP out.”
The term of 10 Rajya Sabha seats will be vacated on April 2 with the term of MPs from Uttar Pradesh is ending.
However, UP CM Yogi Adityanath dismissed any threat from the tie-up calling it an “unnatural relation”. Comparing the parties with the fruits, he said a banana can never go along with the Indian jujube. He was campaigning for Phulpur bypolls in the region where the BJP has fielded OBC candidates.
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