Akhilesh Yadav rules out alliance with Cong for MP elections
The Samajwadi Party will no longer wait for the Congress for a decision on alliance for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh elections, the party said on Saturday, further suggesting it preferred Mayawati’s BSP. Announcing the move, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said, “the Congress has made us wait for too long. How much longer must we wait?”
The development comes days after BSP alliance with Congress for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections was ruled out by Mayawati.
Speaking on the sidelines of a party event in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, the SP chief said, “we will now consult the Gondwana Gantantra party with which we had an alliance and also the BSP, for the coming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.”
"Time is passing by and we cannot wait any longer,” he added.
The Congress party, meanwhile reacted to Yadav’s remark and said it had not been planning any alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Madhya Pradesh in any case.
Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala however, said there was a possibility of an alliance with the BSP in for the upcoming Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.
Mayawati, on Wednesday had said her party will contest the Assembly polls on its own, or in alliance with a regional party.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi wanted an alliance but some "selfish” senior leaders in their party were out to foil any understanding, she had alleged.
In reaction to Mayawati’s statement, Akhilesh Yadav had then urged the Congress to show large-heartedness by taking along other parties.
“If there is any delay, there is a possibility that other parties may declare their candidates. After this, there will be a levelling of allegations that they colluded with the BJP," he had said.
During a press conference on Saturday, the Election Commission announced that Madhya Pradesh will go to the polls on November 28 and the vote counting will be done on December 11.
