Congress-BSP tie-up hits roadblock over seat-sharing in MP

NEWDELHI: A SENIOR CONGRESS FUNCTIONARY SAID

THE BSP HAS BEEN DEMANDING 50 SEATS IN MADHYA PRADESH AND 15 IN CHHATTISGARH

The Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are trying to resolve the deadlock over the sharing of seats in the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

A senior Congress functionary familiar with the developments said the BSP has been demanding 50 seats in Madhya Pradesh and 15 in Chhattisgarh.

The Congress is willing to give 20-22 seats in Madhya Pradesh and seven to nine in Chhattisgarh, but is keen to have a seatsharing agreement with the BSP to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has ruled both states for the past 15 years.

Dalits account for more than 15% of Madhya Pradesh’s 75 million-population and 11.6% of Chattisgharh’s 26 million, making the Congress very interested in a partnership with the BSP.

The BSP contested 227 out of 230 seats in the 201]3 elections in MP, won four, and ended up with vote share of 6.29%. That’s a significant vote share. The Congress won 58 seats with a share of 36.38% and the BJP 165 seats with a share of 44.88%.

In Chattisgarh, the BSP fought in all the 90 seats in the 2013 election, winning one and ending up with a vote share of 4.27%. The Congress won 39 seats with a vote share of 43.33%, and the BJP 49 seats with a share of 54.44%. These numbers may need to be seen differently now because Ajit Jogi, a former Congress leader, formed a separate party in 2016, and is widely considered to be in a position to play spoiler in the state.