New Delhi:
In Indian politics, there’s a saying that the road to Delhi’s power corridor goes through Lucknow. This saying is not far from truth. After all, the state sends staggering 80 lawmakers to Lok Sabha. It means that any party winning big in UP has all chances to rule in Delhi. It is in this backdrop that the alliance between Samajwadi party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh is seen as the biggest pre-poll development. At the keenly watched press conference in Lucknow’s Hotel Taj, both Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati were seen in combat mode. They not only attacked the ruling BJP but also said explained why they didn’t want the Congress in their alliance.
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"We have come together to rid the state and country of BJP’s religion and caste politics. This alliance was a must to destroy BJP, to defeat their arrogance. BJP can go to any extent to create differences in our workers, we must be united and counter any such tactic,” Akhilesh Yadav said and advised party workers to respect the BSP leader same way they respect him.
Apart from the seat-sharing formula, one of the crucial statements made by Yadav was regarding the next Prime Minister of India. When asked about his support for Mayawati, Yadav smiled and said that, “You know who is my choice.” Without naming anyone, Yadav affirmed that, “Uttar Pradesh has given Prime Ministers in the past and trend will be repeated again.”
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As reported by News Nation earlier, SP and BSP have gone for the 38-38 formula. Surprisingly, both leaders kept mum on fate of RLD in the allaince.
Also Read | What Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav said on BSP-SP alliance in Uttar Pradesh
The formidable alliance will impact the poll mandate. It will specially hit BJP as the saffron party had won 71 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh during the 2014 General Elections. The importance of this alliance can be gauged from the fact that during the debate for the Forward Quota Bill in Parliament, several Opposition parties had alleged that the Narendra Modi government brought the Bill because it was afraid of the impact SP and BSP will cause in Uttar Pradesh.
