Sharad Yadav in Lucknow on Tuesday. (Express Photo-Vishal Srivastav)
CALLING THE ruling NDA at the Centre a sinking ship, former JD(U) MP Sharad Yadav said on Tuesday that in the days to come, all allies will part ways with BJP, as the reverses in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls were just a “trailer” of things to come.
“NDA agenda has assumed divisive proportions. After Shiv Sena, the TDP has also left NDA. Soon, no one will be left in NDA,” Yadav told mediapersons in Lucknow.
Accusing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of using unconstitutional language and actions, Yadav said, “The people will show them their reality during the 2019 polls.” He further said that he was touring the country for a grand alliance to “save the Constitution”. A number of parties are coming with me, Yadav said, adding that he will meet BSP chief Mayawati soon.
Earlier in the day, Yadav met SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, party spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury said. “The discussion continued for about an hour on different political issues. It included the need for unity against the growing threat of dictatorship…to save democracy, like-minded parties and leaders should again unite and lay the foundation of a strong alternative,” he added.
With Rajya Sabha elections slated for March 23, Akhilesh has called all SP MLAs for dinner on Wednesday. While SP has 47 MLAs, it is not likely to get the vote of its MLA Nitin Agarwal, whose father and Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Agarwal recently joined BJP. The party needs 37 votes to elect its candidate Jaya Bachchan and is set to give the additional votes to BSP nominee Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Ram Govind Chaudhary, said that when his party was in power, despite having additional votes, it did not float an additional candidate for RS polls. He was referring to BJP fielding 9 candidates for RS polls from UP, while it can safely elect only 8.
After electing its eight candidates, BJP will only have 15 votes left to elect Anil Agarwal — its ninth candidate. With Agarwal needing votes of 37 MLAs to go to the Upper House, BJP will have to bank on its allies – 9 MLAs from Apna Dal and 4 from SBSP. Then, too, it would need another nine votes from the Opposition camp.
Asked about Akhilesh’s dinner, Cabinet Minister Sidhartha Nath Singh said: “They can eat and enjoy now as in 2019, they are going to face hardship.” Congress on Tuesday issued whip to its seven MLA to vote in favour of the BSP candidate in RS polls, party leader Ajai Kumar Lallu said.
With PTI inputs