Lucknow: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati at latter’s residence, in Lucknow, Monday, May 20, 2019. (PTI Photo)After the SP-BSP Gathbandhan faced a massive rout in the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha elections, both BSP Supremo Mayawati and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday announced to contest the upcoming bypolls alone.
Speaking to the media, Mayawati highlighted the Samajwadi Party’s poor performance while analysing its Lok Sabha poll debacle in the state and said, “In the results of Lok Sabha elections in UP, base vote of SP, the ‘Yadav’ community, didn’t support the party. Even strong contenders of SP were defeated.”
However, she indicated that it is not a permanent break and there could be a future alliance. “If we feel in future that the SP chief succeeds in his political work, we’ll again work together. But if he doesn’t succeed, it’ll be good for us to work separately. So we’ve decided to fight the bypolls alone.
“Ever since SP-BSP coalition took place, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav have given me a lot of respect. I also forgot all our differences in the interest of the nation and gave them respect. Our relation isn’t only for politics, it’ll continue forever,” she added.
Reacting to Mayawati’s statement on alliance, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav snapped tied with BSP and said he will deeply reflect on it. He confirmed the party will contest bypolls to 11 seats alone.
“If the coalition has broken, I will reflect deeply on it & if the coalition isn’t there in the by-elections, then Samajwadi Party will prepare for the elections. SP will also fight on all 11 seats alone.” Yadav added.
The SP and BSP had first tied up before the Lok Sabha bypolls in the state in early 2018. After that alliance defeated the BJP in Gorakhpur, Phulpur, and Kairana, the two sides decided to extend their tie-up to the general elections last month.
Read | UP results: Margins, vote-share indicate BSP-SP-RLD alliance’s arithmetic fell flat
However, the “gathbandhan” could manage just 15 seats in UP, with BSP winning 10 and the SP just five — the third partner, RLD, did not win a seat. The SP and the BSP had formally announced their Lok Sabha poll alliance on January 12, with Mayawati calling it the “rajnaitik kranti (political revolution) of 2019”. The tie-up marked the coming together of bitter rivals after nearly 25 years of hostility.
