Unhappy with MP snub, Akhilesh Yadav hints at a grand alliance without Congress

LUCKNOW: Unhappy that its lone MLA, who helped Congress cobble up numbers to form the government in Madhya Pradesh was not included in the Kamal Nath cabinet, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said Congress has not sent out the right signals on a ‘mahagathbandhan’ ahead of the general elections.

Akhilesh also lauded Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s efforts to stitch together a federal front of regional parties.

“We thank Congress for not inducting our MLA in the Madhya Pradesh ministry. They have cleared the air and just made it easy for us,” Akhilesh said, in response to a question on shape and structure of the alliance in UP for parliamentary elections. This is not the first time, Akhilesh dropped hints that the grand alliance in UP may not include the Congress.

In the run-up to the just concluded assembly elections in five states, Akhilesh attacked Congress and even compared its policies with BJP. Though the two parties were looking at a formal alliance in MP and Rajasthan, it did not take off as Congress was confident of victory on its own.

Speaking at a rally in Rajasthan, Akhilesh asked what would happen if SP kept away Congress from an alliance in UP, like they did in Rajasthan. The SP chief was all praise for the Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao’s efforts to put together a federal front of regional parties as an alternative nucleus at the Centre. “I was scheduled to meet him on Tuesday or Wednesday, but couldn’t. But I will go to Hyderabad and meet him. He is making a good effort to bring together a federal front and such steps need all the encouragement,” he said.

However, UP Congress president Raj Babbar said all issues can be resolved when leaders of both parties sit together. Babbar poetically said: “ Shikayat apno se hoti hai, beganon se nahi (You can bear a grudge only with your close ones), thereby countering perception that a mega alliance would be devoid of Congress in UP.