Lucknow, December 19: Virtually overlooking the changed political scenario after the Congress victory in three Hindi-speaking states, Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party along with Rashtriya Lok Dal have almost finalised a pre-2019 alliance in Uttar Pradesh, reportedly leaving two seats—Amethi and Raebareli—for the Congress.
Although not officially confirmed, sources in the SP, BSP and RLD have admitted that things have been worked out and an announcement was now a mere formality.
If such a plan is executed, it is a foregone conclusion that the Congress would contest independently or tie up with a few smaller parties.
According to sources of the 80 Lok Sabha seats Mayawati’s BSP would contest 38 seats, SP on 37 seats RLD on three seats leaving two seats for the Congress.
It is learnt that from its own quota of 37 seats, the Samajwadi party may spare a few seats for Nishad Party and Peace Party.
Of the seats of Kairana, Muzaffarnagar , Baghpat and Mathura the RLD would be asked to select three.
According to a SP MLC, they have decided to go ahead after waiting for the Congress for a long time.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said that despite an understanding the Congress had betrayed them in Gujarat where SP had been promised five seats in an alliance.
He said that the pattern repeated itself in Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, when after initially committing seats to the SP, the Congress did not follow through, forcing the SP to tie up with Gondwana Gantantra Party.
Insiders in SP and BSP pointed out that after the victory in Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress would surely demand more seats that they did not want to give, as according to them, Congress votes are not transferable.
In the emerging scenario, a triangular contest appears to be inevitable with the secular votes being split two-ways.
In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and allies won 73 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. Samajwadi Party won five seats, Congress remained limited to Amethi and Raebareli while the BSP drew a blank.
