Uttar Pradesh election: SP-Congress alliance gets BJP thinking about how Muslims will vote

The BJP sees this alliance as a bit of a setback as it feels that the tie-up has the potential to appeal to that segment of voters, who have been hitherto inimical to the Samajwadi party.

How powerful and game changing is the alliance between Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party and Rahul Gandhi's Congress is one question that is on everyone's mind in UP. And the parties keeping tab very closely are BJP and the BSP.

The BJP sees this alliance as a bit of a setback as it feels that the tie-up has the potential to appeal to that segment of voters, who have been hitherto inimical to the Samajwadi party.

Both the BJP and BSP are wary of the message that this alliance may send to the Muslim voters- that the SP-Congress alliance is a better alternative to vote en bloc.

IS THE BJP OVERTLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT?

There is mixed feeling within the party to this development. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "To save his career, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has chosen to sit on the carrier of Akhilesh Yadav, but will it help them is a big question mark."

He went on to add that if the Samajwadi Party was confident of its position and manifesto then it would not have gone ahead with this alliance. Both Akhilesh and Rahul have failed on this front, Patra said.

A senior BJP leader in an off record conversation said that what they gathered from their informal interaction with the chatter in SP circles was that "the Congress doesn't stand a chance to get more than 60 seats in the alliance as they are a non entity in the state".

"But for the SP to move from this position to agreeing to give 105 seats to the Congress makes it very clear that they are nervous," the BJP leader said.

The senior BJP leader further gave example of BSP saying, "Win or loss, she (Mayawati) is clear that she won't have a pre poll alliance and it's an indicator of her level of confidence."

"Those who are drawing a parallel between this alliance and the Mahagatbandhan in Bihar are erring majorly. 

That situation will emerge only if the BSP and SP enter into an alliance in UP. Then with this formidable caste combination even the Congress might end up getting some seats like in Bihar," the BJP leader said rejecting the suggestion that BJP would meet the same fate as Bihar assembly polls.

He added, "Since Bihar model was victorious, it is repeated (in statements) so often. However, the SP-Congress alliance is very much on the model of disastrous coalition in West Bengal of left parties and Congress."

Another BJP leader speaking on the issue said if the supposed Muslim polarisation happens then it can also lead to a counter polarization in favour of the BJP.

He said that both SP and Congress are fighting a battle for survival and it is because of this they have entered into this alliance "but not much will change".

"This coalition will only help the Congress to marginally improve its performance as on its own they would not have touched double digit," claimed the BJP leader.