LUCKNOW: With the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance against the BJP almost a reality now in Uttar Pradesh, major realignment of political forces is expected on the ground as National Democratic Alliance, led by the saffron party has reportedly begun a hunt for new allies to counter the challenge posed by the tie-up.

The BJP’s sulking allies —Suheldev Bharat Samaj Party (SBSP) of O P Rajbhar and Apna Dal (S) of Anupryia Patel — have also driven the saffron party to search for new allies to get a respectable tally in 2019, if not repeating the 2014 mandate when the NDA had bagged 73 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

As a result, other smaller parties are nurturing hope of allying with the BJP. Under the changing political landscape, the BJP is also focusing on hunting caste-based outfits to have caste calculation in its favour in 2019 to counter SP-BSP equation, which is purely caste-based alliance.

In the recent past, the bitterness between the BJP and its two smaller UP allies has increased. Both AD(S) and SBSP are flexing muscles in a bid to clinch a few more seats. 

Rajbhar, a Yogi minister, has been threatening to leave the NDA and has reportedly been hobnobbing with the opposition. As a result, the BJP has redrawn its strategy and is now eyeing the rebels of its allies.
While the other faction of Apna Dal, led by Krishna Patel (Anupriya Patel’s mother) has admitted to have been in contact with BJP leadership and also SP and BSP to strike a favourable deal for 2019, the rebel of SPBSP, Madan Rajbhar, who has formed Bharatiya Sangharsh Samaj Party, is also talking to BJP state leadership for a tie-up.

But the biggest surprise could be the Rashatriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh as a section of BJP leaders, especially from western UP, have urged the party leadership to initiate talks with the RLD depsite it being part of opposition alliance. “If the BJP offers them a few more seats, they may oblige the saffron camp as Ajit Singh has an image of switching sides in no time,” says a political observer. If RLD joins the BJP camp, sailing may be smoother for the NDA in view of RLD’s clout among the Jat community.

BJP eyeing tie-up with Ajit’s RLD?  

A section of BJP leaders, especially from western UP, have urged the party leadership to initiate talks with the RLD depsite it being part of opposition alliance. If RLD joins BJP camp, sailing may be smoother for NDA in view of RLD’s clout among Jats