By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net
After Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s statements regarding forging an alliance with Congress in upcoming polls, politics has stepped up in Lucknow.
People are seeing it as an effort by Mulayam Singh Yadav to stop division of ‘secular’ votes and prevent the BJP from coming to power. On the contrary, it is now Mulayam’s strategy to prevent BSP from assuming power. A win for the BSP will push the Mulayam clan into oblivion, while a strong BJP will always benefit the Yadavs.
Earlier, when a round of meetings was held between Congress poll strategists Prashant Kishore with SP’s Shivpal Yadav and even Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mulayam nipped the alliance in its bud, stating that there is no need for tie-up but parties willing can merge themselves with Samajwadi Party.
Now after the dust has settled over the political squabble in Yadav family, Mulayam has reassessed the situation. On ground, the BSP seems to have gained a lot with its supremo Mayawati becoming vocal on every issue. She has also earned sympathy by addressing all issues related to Muslims ranging from minority status to AMU and Jamia, Triple Talaq issue, Uniform Civil Code etc. SP has read the writing the on the wall—its core vote bank Muslims are getting eroded towards BSP which is now advocating a formidable alliance of Dalit-Muslims.
Already the series of communal riots are being discussed among Muslim community.
If Muslims desert SP, it will be confined to few districts only and the era of Mulayam clan will come to an end.
On the contrary, if BJP becomes stronger and gets power, Mulayam and his party will remain relevant with its stand of being only party which can claim Muslim votes. It will be a good position for SP in future even if it loses power.
So, to derail BSP, SP has once again signaled about possible tie up with Congress. A pre poll alliance with Congress may not give any advantage for transfer of votes but it will only result in a psychological advantage with Muslims getting assured that the alliance is the sole option to defeat BJP. Congress which is now redundant in UP will get a new lease of life as it hardly has any community left with it in the state.
Mulayam is weighing heavily among his options and all his strategies are based not on countering BJP but stopping BSP from assuming power in the state.