LUCKNOW: Having fought the recent
Lok Sabha byelections in UP along with
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP),
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadavhas said that he was open to the idea of a “broader alliance” at the national level, an idea mooted by West Bengal chief minister
Mamata Banerjee and others.
The former UP chief minister said he was also ready to accommodate BSP on issues like seat sharing ahead of the 2019 polls in order to keep the new found bonhomie between the two parties going. “I am prepared to take two steps back in order to keep the alliance with BSP intact,” he said in an interview with a news channel on Saturday. Akhilesh said he initiated the idea of approaching the BSP for a tie-up in order to put up a formidable opposition to the BJP in UP.
“Our party leaders discussed the issue with their BSP counterparts and then we approached party workers at the grassroots to find out if they were ready,” he said, adding that the results of the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls were more than sufficient to explain what happened next. The SP chief was all praise for BSP chief Mayawati for accepting the “new SP” to mark a beginning in the two parties coming together.
‘BSP chief has accepted new SP led by me’
Mayawati has been large hearted and accepted the new SP that is led by me,” said Akhilesh. He, however, also claimed that he has the blessings of his father for the alliance. “After the Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypolls, he appreciated the fact that I had reached out to the BSP and was very happy about it. I have his blessings for this association (with the BSP),” he said.
On the issue of a pan-India anti-BJP alliance, the SP chief confirmed that he has had discussions with Mamata Banerjee and he will be a part of that coalition if it comes into being after the general elections. “Of course we will be a part of it. We will have a good number of seats and there is no reason why we will not be a part of any
such coalition,” he said.
