The Sharad Yadav-led breakaway faction of the Janata Dal (U) will be entering into an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat. Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Yadav said he had spoken to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and had suggested that the alliance be crafted in such as a way as to minimise any division in the anti-BJP votes.
“After all, only 31% of Indian voters have voted in the current government at the Centre, with 69% against it,” he said. Mr. Yadav also said the specifics of the seat sharing deal had not been finalised yet.
Cong.-led coalition
To a question whether the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an ally in the UPA government at the Centre between 2004-2014, would be part of this grand alliance, Mr. Yadav said it was the Congress, as the largest party among the Opposition in the State, that was in the “driver’s seat” and would be taking a call.
“Our main issue is that there should be minimum division of Opposition votes,” he said. Mr. Yadav’s faction is headed by Gujarat MLA Chhotubhai Vasava.
The Samajawadi Party (SP) has already announced that it would be fighting five seats and supporting the Congress in the rest.
Mr. Yadav felt that the Election Commission by not declaring the schedule for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly polls simultaneously had dented its own image.