The fight between SP and Congress in UP is exposing the reality of India alliance.

The rift between SP and Congress over seat sharing in the assembly elections to be held in the Hindi-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh is also widening the gap between their leaders. Due to which the rift in the opposition alliance INDIA is increasing. The controversial statements of Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai are adding fuel to this rift. He is constantly giving advice to Akhilesh Yadav, which SP leaders are not able to control. In the same sequence, now he has suggested the SP leaders to show big heart on the distribution of seats in Madhya Pradesh.

Ajay Rai says that outside Uttar Pradesh, SP should also look for its base in Madhya Pradesh and other states. In the last assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, SP had got only one seat. With this, the party should also understand its ground situation. Ajay Rai said that SP had fielded its candidate in the assembly by-election held on Bageshwar seat of Uttarakhand, due to which the Congress candidate had to bear the loss. Even after this, Congress had shown great courage. In the assembly by-election on Ghosi seat in the state, Congress had come out in support of the SP candidate and Congress leaders had gone to Ghosi and campaigned. In the assembly elections going to be held in five states, SP should first look at its base everywhere. Although Rai did not comment on the seat sharing in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the reality is that there are indications of a tussle between SP and Congress regarding seat sharing in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress leaders have been claiming to contest elections on all 80 seats. Whereas SP wants to let only 15 to 20 seats go to Congress. Leaders of both the parties have also been seen putting pressure on each other regarding seat distribution. In this series, after the serious comment made by the BJP MP on BSP MP Danish Ali in the Parliament, first Rahul Gandhi and then Ajay Rai met Danish Ali in Delhi. Congress also made Imran Masood, a Muslim leader and former MLA active in western Uttar Pradesh, return home. After this, Nawab Ahmed Hameed, son of Nawab Kokab Hameed, a prominent leader of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and SP leader and former minister Omveer Tomar also joined Congress. Congress seems to be putting pressure on SP by increasing its influence among Muslim leaders. In such a situation, the possibilities of increasing tussle between the leaders of both the parties in Uttar Pradesh are increasing in the coming days.

India alliance in Uttar Pradesh seems to be crossing the ‘danger mark’ due to the stubbornness of Congress and Samajwadi Party. Wherever the party is strong, it has started humiliating the other party. In Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Congress is not giving any interest to the alliance partner Samajwadi Party, whereas in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party is talking about contesting the elections under its leadership. The rift between the two over seat distribution is coming to light again and again. In UP, Congress is staking its claim on about two dozen seats, while Samajwadi Party says that it should not stake its claim but tell on how many seats it can win the elections.

The kind of sourness that is being seen between SP and Congress in the assembly elections to be held in five states, it seems certain to have an impact on the Lok Sabha elections to be held next year also because the Samajwadi Party considers itself ‘upper hand’ in UP. And is not ready to give more than four-five seats to Congress. This thing is hurting the Congress a lot, the way the leadership of Uttar Pradesh Congress is making statements against the Samajwadi Party, the distance between the two parties is increasing. In such a situation, the game of India alliance on 80 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh may get spoiled, of which Bharatiya Janata Party will try to take full advantage.

-Ajay Kumar