BSP supremo Mayawati’s swift counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charge that SP had tricked her by covertly allying with Congress reveals the difficulties BJP has faced in punching holes in the SP-BSP gathbandhan. Mayawati’s advice to Modi to refrain from creating differences between SP and BSP and her exhortation to BSP voters to support Congress in Amethi and Rae Bareli comprehensively undermined Modi’s shrewd attempt to create a wedge.
Given Mayawati’s penchant for imperiousness and the antipathy between Yadavs and Jatavs many had doubted the durability of the alliance in a bruising seven-phase elections. But till date, neither Akhilesh Yadav nor Mayawati have given public vent to their grievances. On the contrary, both sides have projected great camaraderie through Mayawati’s attendance at a rally for Mulayam Singh and the Mayawati-Dimple Yadav public display of respect.
BJP has struggled in these circumstances to substantiate the mahamilavat charge. Even Congress appears to have curried some favour with Mayawati by holding back Priyanka Gandhi from Varanasi and the Gandhi siblings’ statement that in many constituencies Congress candidates were merely looking to cut into BJP’s votes. Yet the outcome of the elections will decide the future of the SP-BSP gathbandhan despite the positive vibes on display now. A BJP victory will force SP-BSP to stay together for survival but if they do succeed in stopping BJP, the chemistry may soon dissipate as had happened after the SP-BSP pre-poll alliance powered to victory in 1993.