Akhilesh-Mayawati share stage for first time at Kumaraswamy swearing-in

In what is being termed as an unprecedented shift in political dynamics of UP, two bitter rivals — BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav — shared the stage for the first time at the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in Karnataka on Wednesday.

The two former UP Chief Ministers were seated next to each other and were even seen sharing lighter moments.

An unscheduled 45-minute meeting was held between Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati at a hotel in Bengluru before the oath ceremony. BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra was also present during the talks. This was the second meeting between the two leaders after Akhilesh Yadav rushed to thank Mayawati in Lucknow after SP candidates won Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls with the backing of the BSP in March.

Though the BSP supported SP candidates in the two bypolls, they did not jointly campaign in the run-up to the bypolls. The win of the SP candidates in the bypolls backed by BSP fuelled speculations of a pre-poll alliance being stitched ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Together, the two parties make a formidable force and can damage the prospects of BJP in UP.

SP and BSP are considered as arch-rivals in Uttar Pradesh and Mayawati shares a very bitter past with Akhilesh’ father Mulayam Singh Yadav.