Unity will be a greater challenge for Opposition in 2019 LS polls
As the coming months may witness new twists and some hard bargaining, a grand alliance is bound to make seatsharing a cumbersome process
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We have stopped the wheels of BJP’s chariot from where it had begun moving ahead JAYANT CHAUDHARY, RLD leader
LUCKNOW: A united opposition won the by-election to Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur Vidhan Sabha seats. Opposition unity will, however, be a greater challenge to the major political parties as they work out possibilities of giving a joint fight to the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
After defeating the BJP in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha by-polls, the two major parties -- Samajwadi Party and BSP -- have given indications of joining hands to fight 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The SP’s move to align with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for Noorpur assembly and Kairana Lok Sabha by-elections to defeat the BJP, and the Congress’s unconditional support to the joint opposition candidates, have given indications about the broadening canvas of likely alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Will SP and BSP take others along to make grand alliance a reality in UP? The SP has often indicated that it was ready to make some sacrifice to make the alliance with the BSP work for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Warmth in relationship with Congress and new ally RLD may make the SP leadership more flexible to accommodate the two allies. As coming months may witness new twists and some hard bargaining, a grand alliance is bound to make seat-sharing a cumbersome process.
Take the case of RLD. It is considered an important factor in Jat dominated regions in western Uttar Pradesh.
The RLD’s victory in Kairana will surely strengthen the party’s position further and give confidence to its leadership for bargaining for more seats.
“We have stopped the wheels of BJP’s chariot from where it had begun moving ahead,” said RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary after the poll results on Thursday.
Chaudhary was obviously referring to the 2013 Muzaffarna- gar riots that led to a major communal polarization and subsequently helped the BJP in getting a landslide victory in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
His assertions speak of his confidence.
Having a considerable following in Kairana, the Congress’s support was considered an important factor. To defeat the BJP in Kairana, the two political rivals SP MLA Nahid Hasan and Congress leader Imran Masood had joined hands a few days before polling there.
The Congress had 6.25 per cent overall vote share in the state and 22.09 per cent vote share on 114 seats it contested in alliance with the SP in 2017.
The RLD’s overall vote share was 1.78 per cent and 2.59 per cent on 277 seats it contested in 2017. The Congress’ vote share was 7.53 per cent in 2014 Lok Sabha poll against 0.86 per cent of the RLD.
Under such circumstances, the Congress remains an important factor for opposition unity. The party will obviously like to have a respectable share in any bargaining, though it won only two seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and seven seats in 2017 assembly elections.
“The Congress has always worked with all its might to defeat the BJP and our partymen did so in Kairana and Noorpur too. We will do whatever is possible to stop the BJP in 2019 polls. This became evident in Karnataka. Although the Congress leadership will decide the issue of alliance in UP, the party considers the people’s verdict above politics and will not turn away from the wishes of people,” said UPCC president Raj Babbar.