It seems that the opposition’s hopes of replacing the Modi government in the Lok Sabha polls are getting dashed following cracks that are emerging within the grand coalition. As per a latest Economic Times report, the BSP and the SP are witnessing an exodus of leaders in face of fear among the leaders that they might be denied tickets following an alliance of the SP and the BSP with the RLD.
As per the report, after the announcement of 38 BSP and 37 SP Lok Sabha seats, senior leaders from both the parties are finding it hard to be accommodated within the coalition. Therefore, they are trying to explore options outside their party fold. The report claims that they are trying to explore opportunities in the Congress, the BJP and Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party.
Under the SP-BSP coalition, Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha seat has been given to the BSP. SP leader and former MP Rakesh Sachan, who joined the Congress told the Economic Times, “I was told by Akhilesh Yadav to prepare for elections from Fatehpur Sikri seat and I had been campaigning for the past one year.” He added, “In the alliance, the seat has been given to the BSP.” Now Sachan is the likely Congress candidate from the Fatehpur Sikri parliamentary constituency.
The report also gives the case of SP leader, Braj Kishor. He had lost to BJP’s Harish Chandra in 2014 by around 35,000 votes. Now, he is also believed to be in talks with the BJP after the seat was allotted to BSP.
An exodus is happening in the BSP too. Former BSP MP from Sitapur Kaisar Jahan who had lost to the seat to BJP candidate by around 50,000 votes, has now joined the Congress. In Jalaun, the BSP has decided to field MLA Ajay Ahirwar Pankaj as its candidate. And reports claim that former Jalaun MP Ghanshyam Anuragi is said to be exploring options outside the BSP. She told, “I will definitely contest elections. You will get to know the party soon.” In Aligarh, the BSP is likely to field Ajit Balyan. ET reported that sensing denial of ticket, former MLA Mukul Upadhyay reportedly shifted to the BJP in the last week of February. He would formally join the BJP in March.
Uttar Pradesh is the pulse of India’s political mood. The fact that the grand coalition is unable to fight as a cohesive unit in the state of Uttar Pradesh goes on to suggest that the situation is rather grim for the grand coalition across the country. Its leaders don’t seem to be able to reconcile with the idea of losing their candidature only because of a grand coalition. This issue of infighting is only going to escalate as the polls approach closer. It will demoralise the cadres and the workers of the opposition parties whereas the BJP cadres will be enthused by such infighting in the opposition ranks. Going into Lok Sabha elections, a cohesive BJP clearly has an edge over the grand coalition.