Mayawati changes gears, to back SP in key bypolls
Politics makes for strange bedfellows. The adage has been validated by the decision of the BSP to extend its support to the Samajwadi Party candidates in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur byelections in Uttar Pradesh on March 11.
Though BSP chief Mayawati was at pains to clarify that the support will be restricted to the bypolls only, political observers say the two parties are testing the feasibility of a more enduring Lok Sabha alliance in the bypolls.
A victory in Phulpur and Gorakhpur — the latter is a home constituency of Chief Minister Yogi — would throw up very interesting possibilities in the run up to general elections. Any such tieup would see the broadening of a formidable anti-BJP platform comprising Muslims and Dalits.
Politics is also about keeping the adversary guessing about your next move. So, Matawati’s statement that ‘’BSP has not allied with any political party for 2019 Lok Sabha elections’’ needs to be discounted.
Mayawati also made it out to be a case of quid pro quo — that the support to the SP candidates in the bypolls was in exchange for SP support to the BSP Rajya Sabha candidate. But that may be merely political posturing to keep the Congress and the BJP confused about their long-term agenda.
It is understood the decision was taken after a marathon meeting at Mayawati’s residence on Thursday, which is setting a new precedent as the BSP has never contested bypolls when in opposition.
Incidentally, the Congress, which allied with the SP for Assembly elections last year, has announced its own candidates in Gorakhpur and Phulpur.
In Gorakhpur — a seat represented by Yogi Adityanath for five consecutive terms — the Samajwadi Party has fielded Praveen Kumar Nishad, the son of Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad,
as its candidate. Nishad will take on the BJP’s Upendra Shukla and Congress leader Surhita Chatterjee Karim.
In Phulphur, the Samajwadi Party has fielded Nagendra Singh Patel, an OBC leader. Patel will contest against BJP candidate and fellow OBC leader Kaushlendra Singh Patel, who has also been Varanasi mayor. The Congress has fielded Manish Mishra for this seat.
So, the bypoll result on March 11 may change the political contours of UP in more ways than one.
While Akhilesh Yadav is yet to make an announcement on the nature of the political realignment, a tweet by SP spokesperson Pankhuri Pathak indicated that the two parties are surely collaborating in the bypolls.