BSP, BJP fight it out for political one-upmanship

LUCKNOW: Even as the opposition parties launched an offensive against the state government on the floor of the legislative assembly as soon as the budget session started, a tussle is currently on between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for political one-upmanship and getting the tag of the main opposition.

Talking to HT, a senior BSP leader said the BJP, which was bouyed by the landslide victory in the last Lok Sabha election as well as victory in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand assembly polls, was trying to position itself as the main opposition party in UP to garner the anti– Samajwadi Party vote in the next assembly elections in the state.

Earlier, the BJP members used to support the BSP in leading attack on the ruling SP, the BSP leader added.

“Now they are hitting out both at the SP and the BSP to project itself as the leading opposition party,” he said.

Technically, the BSP with 80 MLAs is the main opposition political party in the legislative assembly as well as in the council but in the winter session with aggressive floor management the BJP not only outmanoeuvred the BSP but also tried to position itself as the main opposition party by organising maximum walkouts, adjournment motions and even rushing into the well of the house to highlight conten- tious issues.

The BSP was caught off guard as the BJP remained in limelight and cornered the state government on public issues. The BSP was also forced to play second fiddle as BJP members grappled with the ruling party MLAs on various issues.

The decision of the BSP to project itself as a disciplined party boomeranged as the message went to the people that the BJP was taking on the state government on civic issues. The BJP succeeded in grabbing the opposition’s space.

Learning lessons from the past, the BSP has now amended its strategy by launching attacks against the state government right from the word go on Wednesday.

Even as BJP members abstained from the house during the joint address of the governor, the BSP members disrupted the address forcing adjournment of the house for the day.

On Thursday too, the BSP continued its offensive against the state government by organising walkout on the law and order issue as well as supply of seed to potato farmers. The leader of the BSP legislature party Swami Prasad Maurya attacked the state government over law and order, forcing parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan to counter the charges.

Before the start of the budget session a meeting of the BSP MLAs was held under party chief Mayawati to chalk out the strategy for the budget session. It was decided that from day one, the BSP members would launch an offensive against the state government (SP) as well as central government (BJP). The NDA government would be attacked for neglecting UP and its failure to fulfil the promises made during the Lok Sabha election.

Talking to HT, leader of the opposition Swami Prasad Maurya said the BSP managed to pin down the state government on the floor of the house over public issues.

Leader of the BJP legislature party, Suresh Khanna, said BJP attacked the state government on various issues on the floor of the house.

In the month-long session we would draw the attention of the state government toward public issues, he said.