Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday announced that her party will fight all future elections on its own. 
 
The announcement comes a day after the BSP supremo held a meeting with party workers to review her outfit's showing in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

In a series of tweets, the BSP chief said that Samajwadi Party's (SP) conduct after the Lok Sabha elections has compelled her to review whether it was possible to defeat the BJP in future by continuing the alliance. 
 
"Everyone is aware that forgetting everything of the past as also the anti-BSP and anti-Dalit decisions like reservation in promotions and bad law and order during the SP rule in 2012-2017, BSP adhered to the 'Gatbandhan dharma' with the Samajwadi Party in the interest of the country," she tweeted in Hindi.

&nbsp;"Samajwadi Party's (SP) conduct after the Lok Sabha elections has compelled us&nbsp;to review whether it was possible to defeat the BJP in future by continuing the alliance. Therefore, in the interest of the party and the movement, BSP will fight all future elections - big or small - on its own," she said in another tweet.

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परन्तु लोकसभा आमचुनाव के बाद सपा का व्यवहार बीएसपी को यह सोचने पर मजबूर करता है कि क्या ऐसा करके बीजेपी को आगे हरा पाना संभव होगा? जो संभव नहीं है। अतः पार्टी व मूवमेन्ट के हित में अब बीएसपी आगे होने वाले सभी छोटे-बड़े चुनाव अकेले अपने बूते पर ही लड़ेगी।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mayawati/status/1143031592853446657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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On Sunday, Mayawati had claimed that she had called Akhilesh Yadav&nbsp;on the counting day but he did not answer her calls. The BSP chief&nbsp;also alleged that Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav got her framed in Taj corridor case.

The two parties had joined hands to take on the Saffron Party in the Lok Sabha elections. 
 
The BJP won 62 of 80 seats in the state while the 'Gathbandhan' bagged just 15 with the BSP winning 10 and the SP five. The Congress got one seat and the Apna Dal (S) two. In 2014, the BSP could not even manage one seat. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday announced that her party will fight all future elections on its own. The announcement comes a day after the BSP supremo held a meeting with party workers to review her outfit's showing in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday announced that her party will fight all future elections on its own. The announcement comes a day after the BSP supremo held a meeting with party workers to review her outfit's showing in the recent Lok Sabha polls. In a series of tweets, the BSP chief said that Samajwadi Party's (SP) conduct after the Lok Sabha elections has compelled her to review whether it was possible to defeat the BJP in future by continuing the alliance. "Everyone is aware that forgetting everything of the past as also the anti-BSP and anti-Dalit decisions like reservation in promotions and bad law and order during the SP rule in 2012-2017, BSP adhered to the 'Gatbandhan dharma' with the Samajwadi Party in the interest of the country," she tweeted in Hindi. "Samajwadi Party's (SP) conduct after the Lok Sabha elections has compelled us to review whether it was possible to defeat the BJP in future by continuing the alliance. Therefore, in the interest of the party and the movement, BSP will fight all future elections - big or small - on its own," she said in another tweet. परन्तु लोकसभा आमचुनाव के बाद सपा का व्यवहार बीएसपी को यह सोचने पर मजबूर करता है कि क्या ऐसा करके बीजेपी को आगे हरा पाना संभव होगा? जो संभव नहीं है। अतः पार्टी व मूवमेन्ट के हित में अब बीएसपी आगे होने वाले सभी छोटे-बड़े चुनाव अकेले अपने बूते पर ही लड़ेगी। — Mayawati (@Mayawati) June 24, 2019 × On Sunday, Mayawati had claimed that she had called Akhilesh Yadav on the counting day but he did not answer her calls. The BSP chief also alleged that Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav got her framed in Taj corridor case. The two parties had joined hands to take on the Saffron Party in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP won 62 of 80 seats in the state while the 'Gathbandhan' bagged just 15 with the BSP winning 10 and the SP five. The Congress got one seat and the Apna Dal (S) two. In 2014, the BSP could not even manage one seat. (With inputs from agencies)

Mayawati questions Samajwadi Party's attitude, says Bahujan Samaj Party will fight all elections alone

Terming the SP-BSP alliance as a `scientific experiment` which did not succeed, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/samajwadi-party-to-go-solo-in-uttar-pradesh-assembly-bypolls-if-bsp-tie-ends-akhilesh-yadav-224248">SP chief Akhilesh Yadav </a>on Wednesday said that his respect for BSP supremo Mayawati remained intact even after they have parted ways.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-rld-announces-it-will-fight-up-assembly-bypolls-alone-224447">Now RLD announces it will fight UP assembly bypolls alone</a>

"I studied engineering in Mysore. As a science student, I know that all experiments do not always succeed. But still we give it a trial and learn what is lacking," said Akhilesh while talking to reporters here.

Akhilesh on Tuesday announced that his party would contest all 11 Assembly by-elections in the state after BSP chief Mayawati announced that her party has decided to contest these elections on its own following the poor performance of SP-BSP alliance in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

Samajwadi Party had got 5 seats in the state, while BSP got 10 taking the `mahagathbandhan` tally to a dismal 15, far behind the BJP`s 62 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Maintaining that his respect for Mayawati remains intact, Akhilesh said: "In the very first press conference, I had said that my respect is Mayawati ji`s respect and even today I stand by that statement.

"To the possibility of his party joining hands with the BSP again in the UP assembly elections which are due in 2022, Akhilesh said, "We are fighting by-elections on our own. After consultation with senior party leaders, we will finalise the strategy for 2022."

"We can have different paths and different working styles and I would extend my best wishes to everybody," he added.

Extending his wishes to the whole nation on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, Akhilesh said, "We all should commit to preserving Ganga-Jamuni culture and the beauty of the nation where people of all castes and religion live in harmony."

Taking on the state BJP government in the wake of the killing of his party functionary in Ghazipur, Akhilesh said, "In Amethi, a BJP leader was killed by the BJP people only and immediate action was taken by police. But in the case of SP worker who was killed in Ghazipur, no action has been taken."

"A girl was burnt alive while another girl was picked by goons in Lucknow. The whole state is reeling under lawlessness," he said.

To a query of whether he would like to extend birthday wishes to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh quipped: "I don`t generally wish people on their birthdays. I believe we should not feel happy on our birthdays as we grow one year older."&nbsp;

Terming the SP-BSP alliance as a `scientific experiment` which did not succeed, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that his respect for BSP supremo Mayawati remained intact even after they have parted ways.

Terming the SP-BSP alliance as a `scientific experiment` which did not succeed, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that his respect for BSP supremo Mayawati remained intact even after they have parted ways. Also read: Now RLD announces it will fight UP assembly bypolls alone "I studied engineering in Mysore. As a science student, I know that all experiments do not always succeed. But still we give it a trial and learn what is lacking," said Akhilesh while talking to reporters here. Akhilesh on Tuesday announced that his party would contest all 11 Assembly by-elections in the state after BSP chief Mayawati announced that her party has decided to contest these elections on its own following the poor performance of SP-BSP alliance in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Samajwadi Party had got 5 seats in the state, while BSP got 10 taking the `mahagathbandhan` tally to a dismal 15, far behind the BJP`s 62 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Maintaining that his respect for Mayawati remains intact, Akhilesh said: "In the very first press conference, I had said that my respect is Mayawati ji`s respect and even today I stand by that statement. "To the possibility of his party joining hands with the BSP again in the UP assembly elections which are due in 2022, Akhilesh said, "We are fighting by-elections on our own. After consultation with senior party leaders, we will finalise the strategy for 2022." "We can have different paths and different working styles and I would extend my best wishes to everybody," he added. Extending his wishes to the whole nation on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, Akhilesh said, "We all should commit to preserving Ganga-Jamuni culture and the beauty of the nation where people of all castes and religion live in harmony." Taking on the state BJP government in the wake of the killing of his party functionary in Ghazipur, Akhilesh said, "In Amethi, a BJP leader was killed by the BJP people only and immediate action was taken by police. But in the case of SP worker who was killed in Ghazipur, no action has been taken." "A girl was burnt alive while another girl was picked by goons in Lucknow. The whole state is reeling under lawlessness," he said. To a query of whether he would like to extend birthday wishes to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh quipped: "I don`t generally wish people on their birthdays. I believe we should not feel happy on our birthdays as we grow one year older."

We are fighting by-elections on our own, will finalise the strategy for 2022: Akhilesh Yadav

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.

Mayawati and Akhilesh part ways after Lok Sabha rout

Watch 'India Watch.' This is the show that brings you the latest on world's biggest electoral exercise, Verified updates & Unbiased analysis.

India Watch; 27th May, 2019

Smriti Irani's close aide murdered in Amethi. He was one from them who campaigned in Amethi on behalf or with Smriti. We decodes 'Political Murder'with with experts Mr. Gautam Chikermane & Mr. Makarand R. Paranjape. Watch this video for complete details.

India Watch: Discusses Political Murders with some experts

In Amethi Police has arrested 3 suspects in Murder case of Surendra Singh who was Smriti Irani's close aide. Watch this video for more details.

India Watch: Irani Vows Justice For Surendra Singh

Today was PM Elect Modi's thanksgiving visit and speech to Varanasi. Modi won in Varanasi by nearly Five lakh votes. We discusses all in detail with experts Mr. Gautam Chikermane & Mr. Makarand R. Paranjape. Watch this video for complete details.

India Watch: Modi credits grassroot workers for win

PM Modi's first speech was about inclusive growth. He said, ''Election has broken Caste & Gender barriers. After His words ''Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas'' now he has added another term that is ''Sabka Vishwas.'' Watch this video to know more.

India Watch: From ''Vikas'' To ''Vishwas''

The BJP and its ally Apna Dal(S) have won 63&nbsp;of Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats, demolishing the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-up-numbers-show-mahagathbandhan-a-failed-experiment-221047">challenge posed by the SP-BSP alliance</a>, which has managed to get 15&nbsp;seats between them.

The counting of votes is still underway in the state, which sends the highest number of MPs in the Lower House, and the Election Commission has declared results of 77 seats as of 6:20 AM Friday.

Of these, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-modi-wave-sweeps-india-again-nda-poised-to-win-lok-sabha-elections-221034">BJP</a> has won 60 seats and its NDA ally Apna Dal (S) two. The BJP is also leading on two seats.

The party's most remarkable victory came in Amethi where Union minister Smriti Irani unseated Congress president Rahul Gandhi from his party's bastion.

The NDA tally was just 11 short of the 73, the number of seats the two parties won in the Hindi heartland state in 2014. This gap is set to come down to nine.

The opposition SP-BSP alliance bagged 14 seats, with nine going to Mayawati's BSP.

The party is also leading in one seat.

The Congress just managed to open its account in the state as UPA chairperson and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi won the Rae Bareli seat.

Also read: 'There is no place for dynasty rulers, corrupt leaders in this nation' says Yogi Adityanath

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The BJP and its ally Apna Dal(S) have won 63 of Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats, demolishing the challenge posed by the SP-BSP alliance, which has managed to get 15 seats between them.

The BJP and its ally Apna Dal(S) have won 63 of Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats, demolishing the challenge posed by the SP-BSP alliance, which has managed to get 15 seats between them. The counting of votes is still underway in the state, which sends the highest number of MPs in the Lower House, and the Election Commission has declared results of 77 seats as of 6:20 AM Friday. Of these, the BJP has won 60 seats and its NDA ally Apna Dal (S) two. The BJP is also leading on two seats. The party's most remarkable victory came in Amethi where Union minister Smriti Irani unseated Congress president Rahul Gandhi from his party's bastion. The NDA tally was just 11 short of the 73, the number of seats the two parties won in the Hindi heartland state in 2014. This gap is set to come down to nine. The opposition SP-BSP alliance bagged 14 seats, with nine going to Mayawati's BSP. The party is also leading in one seat. The Congress just managed to open its account in the state as UPA chairperson and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi won the Rae Bareli seat. Also read: 'There is no place for dynasty rulers, corrupt leaders in this nation' says Yogi Adityanath ×

In UP, BJP+ gets 63 and counting, SP-BSP struggles to touch 15

Since beginning of the Lok Sabha polls the nation is witnessing a question that 'If not Modi, then who?'; The way to PM is always led from Uttar Pradesh as it consists 80 seats. The cold war between SP-BSP that fragmented the dalits and muslims voters in UP came together when the chiefs of both party announces an alliance in UP, and too is considered as a turning point in this election. Results shows nothing but a reoil in Uttar Pradesh.

What went wrong for SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh these polls?

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that post-May 23, he will issue an advisory in view of the Lok Sabha poll results and the possibility of subsequent clashes between the workers of the SP and the BSP.

Addressing a poll meeting here, he said, "On May 23, when the election results are declared, 'bua' (BSP supremo Mayawati) will say 'babua' (SP chief Akhilesh Yadav) is the head of the goons and 'babua' will say 'bua' is the epitome of corruption. This is certain."

The Chief Minister said he will not allow any violence in Uttar Pradesh, adding, "We will issue an advisory so that the citizens are not caught in their violence."

Hitting out at the political rivals of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Adityanath said, "During the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, (Congress leader) Priyanka Gandhi had talked about the combination of two boys (Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav).

"But Uttar Pradesh had said the pair was not of two boys, but of two oxen. The people of the state laugh over their education. We do not want (people with) the brains of an ox, but those who can usher in development."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that post-May 23, he will issue an advisory in view of the Lok Sabha poll results and the possibility of subsequent clashes between the workers of the SP and the BSP.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that post-May 23, he will issue an advisory in view of the Lok Sabha poll results and the possibility of subsequent clashes between the workers of the SP and the BSP. Addressing a poll meeting here, he said, "On May 23, when the election results are declared, 'bua' (BSP supremo Mayawati) will say 'babua' (SP chief Akhilesh Yadav) is the head of the goons and 'babua' will say 'bua' is the epitome of corruption. This is certain." The Chief Minister said he will not allow any violence in Uttar Pradesh, adding, "We will issue an advisory so that the citizens are not caught in their violence." Hitting out at the political rivals of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Adityanath said, "During the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, (Congress leader) Priyanka Gandhi had talked about the combination of two boys (Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav). "But Uttar Pradesh had said the pair was not of two boys, but of two oxen. The people of the state laugh over their education. We do not want (people with) the brains of an ox, but those who can usher in development."

Will issue advisory post May 23 in view of SP-BSP clashes: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday took a potshot at opposition parties forming alliances for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that the alliance in Uttar Pradesh between SP and BSP proves BJP's strength.

Addressing BJP booth workers at the Trishakti Sammelan, Shah said, "The aunt-nephew in Uttar Pradesh, who never saw eye-to-eye, united and came together on one platform. That itself speaks volumes about our strength, they had to unite because of us".

He further attacked the opposition parties, saying that they might actually benefit from chanting the name of God as many times as they talk about removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP president said that while in most other parties, the candidates for posts like party president and Prime Minister are chosen from a particular family, the BJP gives opportunities for common people to become the Prime Minister.

Shah hailed the work done by the Modi government in the last five years, citing the Ayushman Bharat scheme as a landmark in medical relief for the poor.

"70 years since independence and the poor could not afford medical treatment. Modi ji implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme and now, the government will pay the medical expenses up to Rs 5 lakh for the poor," Shah said.

He also said that the interim budget presented in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal yesterday left the opposition perplexed. &nbsp;

"Modi ji's government has also exempted everyone with annual income below Rs 5 lakh from paying tax. There cannot be a bigger incentive for the middle class. His government also gave the country's largest Defence budget since Independence. The agro schemes announced will benefit up to 12 crore farmers," Shah said.

He said that the BJP government has also taken massive steps towards removing corruption.

"Rajiv Gandhi had said that when he sends a rupee from New Delhi, only 15 paise reaches the villages. Through the means of DBT, we are sending pensions and the financial benefits of various schemes directly to people's accounts," he said.

While saying that the "double engine" of BJP governments in the Centre and Uttarakhand has accelerated the state's welfare, Shah said Modi's re-election in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections is imperative for the country's ensured development and security.

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday took a potshot at opposition parties forming alliances for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that the alliance in Uttar Pradesh between SP and BSP proves BJP's strength.

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday took a potshot at opposition parties forming alliances for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that the alliance in Uttar Pradesh between SP and BSP proves BJP's strength. Addressing BJP booth workers at the Trishakti Sammelan, Shah said, "The aunt-nephew in Uttar Pradesh, who never saw eye-to-eye, united and came together on one platform. That itself speaks volumes about our strength, they had to unite because of us". He further attacked the opposition parties, saying that they might actually benefit from chanting the name of God as many times as they talk about removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP president said that while in most other parties, the candidates for posts like party president and Prime Minister are chosen from a particular family, the BJP gives opportunities for common people to become the Prime Minister. Shah hailed the work done by the Modi government in the last five years, citing the Ayushman Bharat scheme as a landmark in medical relief for the poor. "70 years since independence and the poor could not afford medical treatment. Modi ji implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme and now, the government will pay the medical expenses up to Rs 5 lakh for the poor," Shah said. He also said that the interim budget presented in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal yesterday left the opposition perplexed. "Modi ji's government has also exempted everyone with annual income below Rs 5 lakh from paying tax. There cannot be a bigger incentive for the middle class. His government also gave the country's largest Defence budget since Independence. The agro schemes announced will benefit up to 12 crore farmers," Shah said. He said that the BJP government has also taken massive steps towards removing corruption. "Rajiv Gandhi had said that when he sends a rupee from New Delhi, only 15 paise reaches the villages. Through the means of DBT, we are sending pensions and the financial benefits of various schemes directly to people's accounts," he said. While saying that the "double engine" of BJP governments in the Centre and Uttarakhand has accelerated the state's welfare, Shah said Modi's re-election in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections is imperative for the country's ensured development and security.

Their alliance proves our strength: Amit Shah on SP-BSP coming together

The importance of Karnataka government does not lie in unrelenting ambition of former chief minister Yeddyurappa. Its importance lies in the impact it will create nationally, if the JDS-Congress alliance comes apart. Karnataka today sells the idea of coalition being a stable entity which BJP wants to discredit at the national level.

Secondly, if the alliance continues, BJP will find very difficult to retain 17 seats in the state. The matter becomes more acute as SP-BSP alliance has firmed up in Uttar Pradesh which means that BJP’s numbers in the north will also come down substantially. If this is to happen in every state then BJP would lose Lok Sabha elections even before the campaign begins. It is for this reason, BJP wants the Congress-JDS government to fall in Karnataka.

If coalition gets discredited in Karnataka, then&nbsp;the BJP will be able to discredit the idea of a Grand Alliance in the run-up&nbsp;to the Lok Sabha elections. The sudden desperation on part of BJP to topple the government also stems from triple victory of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

If the government in Karnataka falls either from internal sabotage or external pressure, the ultimate benefit would accrue to the BJP and it will be on three counts.

BJP will go to the town saying that Grand Alliance against BJP is a dead idea and squabbling leaders have nothing in common except hatred against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fall will also impact the ability of the Congress to manage regional satraps and regional players. BJP has been running successful coalition in states like Goa, Meghalaya and Bihar, showcasing its ability to snatch allies and run the government in states where it does not have the number. Lastly, the message would go out that BJP is down but not out and unlike them, Congress cannot manage political contradictions under Rahul Gandhi.

BJP did this with élan in Bihar. When they realised that Nitish Kumar could emerge as a fulcrum around whom the entire Opposition could come together, they ran away with the face itself. In a day, the Opposition lost its most acceptable face.

Such was the situation then that Congress would have found it very difficult not to support Nitish Kumar’s candidature as the Prime Minister in case elections threw a hung Parliament. If Congress does well in the Lok Sabha election, the credibility of Rahul Gandhi will get further solidified and depending on the number, Congress would project him as the Prime Ministerial candidate. Right now, Rahul Gandhi has emerged a challenger but not entirely in an avatar of acceptable Opposition leader.

In case of Karnataka, it will showcase the ability of the Congress to carry regional leaders with them. The occasional outburst of CM Kumarswamy should not be taken lightly. Even if he does not come out the alliance, he would definitely make the government end up looking weak and mismanaged. The only thing Congress can hope for is that prolonged interference results in negative political return where people start to see BJP as a disruptive force in the state.

On the other hand, Congress as an organization is also responsible for the crisis. Some of the MLAs have a running feud with sitting ministers. Local MLA Umesh Jadhav has a running feud with Priyang Kharge, minister in Karnataka government and son of Mallikarjun Kharge.

Similarly, Chikabalapur MLA Dr Sudhakar is also in the list of disgruntled lawmakers as certain of his local demands have not been met. Sum total of the Karnataka affair is that and political development in Karnataka will have a national impact. In Bihar, BJP was able to rob the face of an emerging coalition and in Karnataka they have the chance to discredit the idea of a coalition.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The importance of Karnataka government does not lie in unrelenting ambition of former chief minister Yeddyurappa. Its importance lies in the impact it will create nationally, if the JDS-Congress alliance comes apart.

The importance of Karnataka government does not lie in unrelenting ambition of former chief minister Yeddyurappa. Its importance lies in the impact it will create nationally, if the JDS-Congress alliance comes apart. Karnataka today sells the idea of coalition being a stable entity which BJP wants to discredit at the national level. Secondly, if the alliance continues, BJP will find very difficult to retain 17 seats in the state. The matter becomes more acute as SP-BSP alliance has firmed up in Uttar Pradesh which means that BJP’s numbers in the north will also come down substantially. If this is to happen in every state then BJP would lose Lok Sabha elections even before the campaign begins. It is for this reason, BJP wants the Congress-JDS government to fall in Karnataka. If coalition gets discredited in Karnataka, then the BJP will be able to discredit the idea of a Grand Alliance in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The sudden desperation on part of BJP to topple the government also stems from triple victory of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. If the government in Karnataka falls either from internal sabotage or external pressure, the ultimate benefit would accrue to the BJP and it will be on three counts. BJP will go to the town saying that Grand Alliance against BJP is a dead idea and squabbling leaders have nothing in common except hatred against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fall will also impact the ability of the Congress to manage regional satraps and regional players. BJP has been running successful coalition in states like Goa, Meghalaya and Bihar, showcasing its ability to snatch allies and run the government in states where it does not have the number. Lastly, the message would go out that BJP is down but not out and unlike them, Congress cannot manage political contradictions under Rahul Gandhi. BJP did this with élan in Bihar. When they realised that Nitish Kumar could emerge as a fulcrum around whom the entire Opposition could come together, they ran away with the face itself. In a day, the Opposition lost its most acceptable face. Such was the situation then that Congress would have found it very difficult not to support Nitish Kumar’s candidature as the Prime Minister in case elections threw a hung Parliament. If Congress does well in the Lok Sabha election, the credibility of Rahul Gandhi will get further solidified and depending on the number, Congress would project him as the Prime Ministerial candidate. Right now, Rahul Gandhi has emerged a challenger but not entirely in an avatar of acceptable Opposition leader. In case of Karnataka, it will showcase the ability of the Congress to carry regional leaders with them. The occasional outburst of CM Kumarswamy should not be taken lightly. Even if he does not come out the alliance, he would definitely make the government end up looking weak and mismanaged. The only thing Congress can hope for is that prolonged interference results in negative political return where people start to see BJP as a disruptive force in the state. On the other hand, Congress as an organization is also responsible for the crisis. Some of the MLAs have a running feud with sitting ministers. Local MLA Umesh Jadhav has a running feud with Priyang Kharge, minister in Karnataka government and son of Mallikarjun Kharge. Similarly, Chikabalapur MLA Dr Sudhakar is also in the list of disgruntled lawmakers as certain of his local demands have not been met. Sum total of the Karnataka affair is that and political development in Karnataka will have a national impact. In Bihar, BJP was able to rob the face of an emerging coalition and in Karnataka they have the chance to discredit the idea of a coalition. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Karnataka grand alliance: BJP's final push

The political wheels have come full circle in Uttar Pradesh. About 25 years ago, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party came together to successfully contest the 1993 Assembly elections in the state. The idea was to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at bay following its rise. Now the two parties have aligned yet again to counter the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Since we are into history, let’s recall a few incidents that happened thereafter.&nbsp;

Then it was Mulayam Singh Yadav from the SP and Kanshi Ram from the BSP who stitched the partnership. Two prominent industrialists had played a significant role in bringing the rivals together, and they were subsequently rewarded with Rajya Sabha seats. The BJP still won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority, while the combined numerical strength of the SP and the BSP led to the formation of a coalition regime with Mulayam Singh Yadav as the chief minister. Mayawati did not join the government, but she was entrusted with the task of supervising the partnership. &nbsp;

The alliance worked well for the first few months, but friction began to develop thereafter, more so after incidents of violence which had erupted following the removal of an Ambedkar statue in Meerut in 1994. The state police, which had a good number from the Yadav caste, came down hard on the protesters and at least two members of the Scheduled Castes died in the firing. More problems arose when the Yadav community protested against the installation of an Ambedkar statue on a plot of land it claimed belonged to the community. The Yadav-Scheduled Caste confrontation led Mayawati to get aggressive, and soon reports began to circulate that she was interfering in the functioning of the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led government. &nbsp;

Then came then infamous guest house incident in mid-1995. By then, political equations had begun to change in Lucknow. The BJP and the BSP had got closer to each other with the latter realising it would have to pull out of the coalition regime to keep its Scheduled caste vote-base intact. Indeed, Mayawati had met the Governor and effectively withdrawn support to the government. All hell broke. Mayawati had summoned a meeting of her legislators at the state guest house in Lucknow to discuss further course of action. Once the meeting was done, the BSP leader was closeted with a few senior leaders for fine-tuning the political strategy. A mob of around 200 SP leaders and supporters attacked the guest house and raised casteist slogans against her and her community. It was followed by more filthy language and threats to kill. Power supply to the guest house was cut off and the mob shouted for Mayawati to be dragged out and taught a lesson. The BSP legislators who came in contact with the mob were brutally assaulted. &nbsp;

Two junior police officers came to Mayawati’s rescue. Later the district magistrate of Lucknow and some BJP leaders played important roles in the rescue of the BSP leader. A traumatic Mayawati and her guru Kanshi Ram vowed to never do business with the SP. She soon became chief minister with the BJP’s support.&nbsp;

Cut to the present: On Saturday, sharing the stage with SP leader Akhilesh Yadav to announce the renewed partnership between the SP and the BSP and the seat-sharing deal, Mayawati remarked that she was willing to forgive and forget the 1995 incident in the larger interests of the nation (read, to get rid of the Modi government from the Centre). &nbsp;

Then, as now, the common factor is the need to counter the BJP. But that’s where the commonality ends. The first difference is that the two leaders who made the alliance possible in 1993 are not in the picture this time around. Kanshi Ram is dead and Mulayam Singh Yadav is a mere bystander in the party which he founded. While both Kanshi Ram and Mulayam Singh Yadav were astute, in the present case Mayawati, now a veteran both in terms of years in politics and mercurial nature, clearly has the edge, whereas Akhilesh Yadav is subdued by his relatively junior status and inexperience. Everybody knows who will call the shots in the post-result scenario if the combine does well, is not a secret.&nbsp;

The second difference is that the 1993 alliance had been for Assembly elections, whereas the present one — at least for now — is for the Lok Sabha polls. Then it was Mulayam-Kanshi Ram versus Kalyan Singh of the BJP, who had been deposed as chief minister following the Ayodhya mosque destruction incident. Today it is Akhilesh-Mayawati versus Narendra Modi — a more formidable challenge.&nbsp;

The third refers to the political status of the BJP. Then, the BJP was not in power either at the Centre or in the state. Today it’s there in both places. In the 2014 general elections, the party had got 40 per cent of the vote-share in Uttar Pradesh. The SP could manage only five seats while the BSP ended with none. The situation was not much different in the 2017 assembly polls where the SP and the BSP had to bite the dust while the BJP romped home with a huge majority. &nbsp;And yet the SP-BSP combine has reason to feel upbeat. It had tasted blood in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypolls, and this had proved to be a trigger to explore a formalise alliance between the two parties.&nbsp; &nbsp;

There, questions remain: First, will the coalition deliver in 2019? Will it last in case of failure? Will it sustain even after the victory or become victim to ego battles, as had happened in 1995?&nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The political wheels have come full circle in Uttar Pradesh. About 25 years ago, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party came together to successfully contest the 1993 Assembly elections in the state.

The political wheels have come full circle in Uttar Pradesh. About 25 years ago, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party came together to successfully contest the 1993 Assembly elections in the state. The idea was to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at bay following its rise. Now the two parties have aligned yet again to counter the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Since we are into history, let’s recall a few incidents that happened thereafter. Then it was Mulayam Singh Yadav from the SP and Kanshi Ram from the BSP who stitched the partnership. Two prominent industrialists had played a significant role in bringing the rivals together, and they were subsequently rewarded with Rajya Sabha seats. The BJP still won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority, while the combined numerical strength of the SP and the BSP led to the formation of a coalition regime with Mulayam Singh Yadav as the chief minister. Mayawati did not join the government, but she was entrusted with the task of supervising the partnership. The alliance worked well for the first few months, but friction began to develop thereafter, more so after incidents of violence which had erupted following the removal of an Ambedkar statue in Meerut in 1994. The state police, which had a good number from the Yadav caste, came down hard on the protesters and at least two members of the Scheduled Castes died in the firing. More problems arose when the Yadav community protested against the installation of an Ambedkar statue on a plot of land it claimed belonged to the community. The Yadav-Scheduled Caste confrontation led Mayawati to get aggressive, and soon reports began to circulate that she was interfering in the functioning of the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led government. Then came then infamous guest house incident in mid-1995. By then, political equations had begun to change in Lucknow. The BJP and the BSP had got closer to each other with the latter realising it would have to pull out of the coalition regime to keep its Scheduled caste vote-base intact. Indeed, Mayawati had met the Governor and effectively withdrawn support to the government. All hell broke. Mayawati had summoned a meeting of her legislators at the state guest house in Lucknow to discuss further course of action. Once the meeting was done, the BSP leader was closeted with a few senior leaders for fine-tuning the political strategy. A mob of around 200 SP leaders and supporters attacked the guest house and raised casteist slogans against her and her community. It was followed by more filthy language and threats to kill. Power supply to the guest house was cut off and the mob shouted for Mayawati to be dragged out and taught a lesson. The BSP legislators who came in contact with the mob were brutally assaulted. Two junior police officers came to Mayawati’s rescue. Later the district magistrate of Lucknow and some BJP leaders played important roles in the rescue of the BSP leader. A traumatic Mayawati and her guru Kanshi Ram vowed to never do business with the SP. She soon became chief minister with the BJP’s support. Cut to the present: On Saturday, sharing the stage with SP leader Akhilesh Yadav to announce the renewed partnership between the SP and the BSP and the seat-sharing deal, Mayawati remarked that she was willing to forgive and forget the 1995 incident in the larger interests of the nation (read, to get rid of the Modi government from the Centre). Then, as now, the common factor is the need to counter the BJP. But that’s where the commonality ends. The first difference is that the two leaders who made the alliance possible in 1993 are not in the picture this time around. Kanshi Ram is dead and Mulayam Singh Yadav is a mere bystander in the party which he founded. While both Kanshi Ram and Mulayam Singh Yadav were astute, in the present case Mayawati, now a veteran both in terms of years in politics and mercurial nature, clearly has the edge, whereas Akhilesh Yadav is subdued by his relatively junior status and inexperience. Everybody knows who will call the shots in the post-result scenario if the combine does well, is not a secret. The second difference is that the 1993 alliance had been for Assembly elections, whereas the present one — at least for now — is for the Lok Sabha polls. Then it was Mulayam-Kanshi Ram versus Kalyan Singh of the BJP, who had been deposed as chief minister following the Ayodhya mosque destruction incident. Today it is Akhilesh-Mayawati versus Narendra Modi — a more formidable challenge. The third refers to the political status of the BJP. Then, the BJP was not in power either at the Centre or in the state. Today it’s there in both places. In the 2014 general elections, the party had got 40 per cent of the vote-share in Uttar Pradesh. The SP could manage only five seats while the BSP ended with none. The situation was not much different in the 2017 assembly polls where the SP and the BSP had to bite the dust while the BJP romped home with a huge majority. And yet the SP-BSP combine has reason to feel upbeat. It had tasted blood in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypolls, and this had proved to be a trigger to explore a formalise alliance between the two parties. There, questions remain: First, will the coalition deliver in 2019? Will it last in case of failure? Will it sustain even after the victory or become victim to ego battles, as had happened in 1995? (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

BSP-SP alliance returns after 25 years; will the coalition deliver in 2019?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a recent interview that the 'grand alliance' being talked of against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would result in a contest between the people and the coalition. It remains to be seen whether this new narrative will gain traction among the voters in the months to come, but there is an alliance that can create serious problems for the ruling party - the one between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp; 
 
Neither PM Modi nor his party can ignore the elephant in the room, or to be precise, the elephant plus the cycle. This is for several reasons. The first is that the SP-BSP combine is a very real possibility, unlike various other opposition combinations that exist only in the air. The two parties are already collaborating. When the BSP withdrew its minister from the HD Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka, the SP was quick to support the move. When the BSP demanded the withdrawal of certain cases against members of the Scheduled Castes in Kamal Nath-ruled Madhya Pradesh, the SP was again fully supportive.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The two parties have given serious indications of contesting the Lok Sabha polls together, at least for the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. They are both on the same page with regard to treating the Congress as a very junior partner in case the latter decides to join their group. But both prefer not having any truck with the Congress.&nbsp;

The other reason for the BJP to take the possible combine seriously is the state itself. Uttar Pradesh, from all available accounts, holds the key to government formation at the Centre. The BJP rode to a majority — the first time a single party achieved it since 1984-85 — on the strength of its performance in the state, winning 73 seats along with its allies. If it suffers a setback there, it will have considerable difficulty in being in the pole position nationally. &nbsp;

The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party combine is lethal on caste grounds too. The Yadav community and the Scheduled Castes together form a formidable voter force; together they comprise case to 30 per cent of the population. Add to it the Muslim voters, and the situation gets only more grim for the BJP. It can be argued that not all Scheduled Caste voters will back the combine — they had supported the BJP in large numbers in 2014. But then, 2019 is not 2014, and there was no alliance between the SP and the BSP.&nbsp;

The situation is more challenging for the BJP in the state this time around also because of trouble with allies. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and the Apna Dal (Sonelal) are upset for various reasons. Leaders of both parties have been keeping away from BJP events. Most recently, they were absent from a rally the Prime Minister addressed in Ghazipur. Statements of discontent have been made from both party leaders on various occasions. The BJP will have to mollify them quickly or face the prospect of loss of precious votes in pockets where the two parties are influential. The ruling party cannot afford to lose partners like it did in neighbouring Bihar. Two regional parties which had contested the2014 polls as partners of the BJP have broken away and joined the RJD-led front. But at least in Bihar, the BJP has a tie-up with a dominant Janata Dal (United) to compensate for the loss; in Uttar Pradesh, there is no such solace.&nbsp;

Given the situation, the BJP is readying itself for the grand challenge in the state. It could try any one or a combination of the following factors: Use the Ayodhya card to rally the majority faith voters to its side; play upon the threat of minority appeasement as well as the dominance of the Yadav community to lure voters; recall the development agenda of both the Modi regime and the Yogi Adityanath government in the state.

The potency of the first factor depends greatly on the path the Supreme Court takes in the weeks to come. The second hinges largely on the level of fear that the BJP can arouse song the people. It must be recalled that the BJP had swept the Assembly election in 2017 also because the people had been disenchanted by the minority appeasement policies of the then Samajwadi Party regime led by Akhilesh Yadav. The consolation of Hindu votes had happened as a result. Further supported by the success of schemes such as Ujjwala, the BJP had cut across caste votes to register a fine win. &nbsp;

Is an encore possible?&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a recent interview that the 'grand alliance' being talked of against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would result in a contest between the people and the coalition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a recent interview that the 'grand alliance' being talked of against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would result in a contest between the people and the coalition. It remains to be seen whether this new narrative will gain traction among the voters in the months to come, but there is an alliance that can create serious problems for the ruling party - the one between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh. Neither PM Modi nor his party can ignore the elephant in the room, or to be precise, the elephant plus the cycle. This is for several reasons. The first is that the SP-BSP combine is a very real possibility, unlike various other opposition combinations that exist only in the air. The two parties are already collaborating. When the BSP withdrew its minister from the HD Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka, the SP was quick to support the move. When the BSP demanded the withdrawal of certain cases against members of the Scheduled Castes in Kamal Nath-ruled Madhya Pradesh, the SP was again fully supportive. The two parties have given serious indications of contesting the Lok Sabha polls together, at least for the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. They are both on the same page with regard to treating the Congress as a very junior partner in case the latter decides to join their group. But both prefer not having any truck with the Congress. The other reason for the BJP to take the possible combine seriously is the state itself. Uttar Pradesh, from all available accounts, holds the key to government formation at the Centre. The BJP rode to a majority — the first time a single party achieved it since 1984-85 — on the strength of its performance in the state, winning 73 seats along with its allies. If it suffers a setback there, it will have considerable difficulty in being in the pole position nationally. The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party combine is lethal on caste grounds too. The Yadav community and the Scheduled Castes together form a formidable voter force; together they comprise case to 30 per cent of the population. Add to it the Muslim voters, and the situation gets only more grim for the BJP. It can be argued that not all Scheduled Caste voters will back the combine — they had supported the BJP in large numbers in 2014. But then, 2019 is not 2014, and there was no alliance between the SP and the BSP. The situation is more challenging for the BJP in the state this time around also because of trouble with allies. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and the Apna Dal (Sonelal) are upset for various reasons. Leaders of both parties have been keeping away from BJP events. Most recently, they were absent from a rally the Prime Minister addressed in Ghazipur. Statements of discontent have been made from both party leaders on various occasions. The BJP will have to mollify them quickly or face the prospect of loss of precious votes in pockets where the two parties are influential. The ruling party cannot afford to lose partners like it did in neighbouring Bihar. Two regional parties which had contested the2014 polls as partners of the BJP have broken away and joined the RJD-led front. But at least in Bihar, the BJP has a tie-up with a dominant Janata Dal (United) to compensate for the loss; in Uttar Pradesh, there is no such solace. Given the situation, the BJP is readying itself for the grand challenge in the state. It could try any one or a combination of the following factors: Use the Ayodhya card to rally the majority faith voters to its side; play upon the threat of minority appeasement as well as the dominance of the Yadav community to lure voters; recall the development agenda of both the Modi regime and the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. The potency of the first factor depends greatly on the path the Supreme Court takes in the weeks to come. The second hinges largely on the level of fear that the BJP can arouse song the people. It must be recalled that the BJP had swept the Assembly election in 2017 also because the people had been disenchanted by the minority appeasement policies of the then Samajwadi Party regime led by Akhilesh Yadav. The consolation of Hindu votes had happened as a result. Further supported by the success of schemes such as Ujjwala, the BJP had cut across caste votes to register a fine win. Is an encore possible? (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

BSP-SP alliance may prove to be a stumbling block for BJP

Before the 2015 Bihar state assembly elections, a new concept was introduced in India’s already crowded political lexicon, the ‘mahagathbandhan’. Loosely translated, it stood for a grand alliance of many parties who did not share too many commonalities except for one driving factor — the incessant desire to stop the then seemingly unstoppable Narendra Modi juggernaut in its tracks.

In trying to achieve what they wanted, the ‘mahagathbandhan’ had its way. Modi at the height of his popularity was bested in Bihar, the ascendant BJP coming up a cropper with 59 seats against the combined might of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal (U) and the Congress, which bagged a formidable 180 assembly seats.

A great political idea had been sown, showing the way ahead to checkmate the BJP if it could. The logic was simple arithmetic. The BJP, which had garnered 31 per cent of the total vote share, had won 282 Lok Sabha seats. It was also the smallest ever vote share for the largest number of seats won. The previous lowest was the Congress that got a little over 40 per cent of the total vote share and 283 seats in 1967, in the days of the yore when the political canvas was a lot less crowded.

It proved just one thing: the BJP had gained heavily on account of the badly splintered vote and if closing the ranks would help, the tide could be turned against the saffron party. And that is what happened in Bihar.

Since then, it is increasingly becoming apparent that while ‘mahagathbandhan’ is a winning idea, implementing it on a national scale would be a tall order. As things stand now, the whole idea of a grand alliance against the BJP is largely restricted to UP. In Bihar, mahagathbandhan’ already stands dashed with one of the original authors of the idea, Nitish Kumar, on the side of the BJP.

It is only in a vast state like UP, which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha, that such a grand alliance plays out. Obviously, the idea of a such a coalition does not apply in, let’s say, Bengal, Odisha, the Northeast or the regional parties in the South other than Kerala.

Alliances in states like Maharashtra are between national and regional parties while in most parts of central India, the Hindi-speaking states, like Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, it is going to be a fight mainly between the two national parties, the BJP and the Congress. The two national parties are also locked in a direct confrontation in states like Assam, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Goa, making it very difficult for a `mahagathbandhan’ to take shape in these states.

Sure, events in the last two weeks have demonstrated that BSP supremo Mayawati, the Samajwadi Party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are looking to expand their base in MP and Chhattisgarh, hoping to cash in on a three-term anti-incumbency against the BJP and the disenchantment with the long decades of Congress rule.

But the difficulty in launching a ‘mahagathbandhan’ appears formidable. The Congress has ruled out giving more than 10 seats to the BSP in MP, which has some presence in districts like Jhansi that border UP and three seats to the SP in MP, which has had some areas of influence and lots of pretensions to power in that state.

All of this adds to complicating the situation as far as carving out a grand alliance in UP is concerned. The two regional outfits are already accusing the Congress of acting like the `big brother’in the forthcoming assembly elections in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and promise to get back in kind in UP where the Congress is in a relatively weaker spot.

And it is here that the problem lies. In two critical Lok Sabha by-elections in Phulpur and Gorakhpur in UP March this year, the margin of losses are noteworthy. In UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s pocket borough Gorakhpur, the BJP lost by a little over 21,000 votes to the SP that was backed by BSP and the Congress while Phulpur was lost to another SP-led opposition ‘gathbandhan’ by a more respectable under-60,000 votes.

Then again in May, the Kairana Lok Sabha bye-elections in UP saw another battle royale with Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)-led combined opposition, including the SP, BSP and Congress, edging out the BJP comfortably by a 50,000 vote margin.

But it is instructive to remember that margins like 21,000 or even 50,000 in a Lok Sabha bye-poll in a vastly populated state like UP can be no indication of how things will shape up in the absence of a ‘mahagathbandhan’. And if BSP’s mercurial and unpredictable boss Mayawati’s statements against allying with other parties are any indication, a coalition in UP, at least at this stage, appears like a tall order. After all, if the united opposition polled 51.1 per cent of the total votes in the Kairana constituency, the BJP, which was the loser did not too badly with 46.5 per cent of votes. In the absence of a combined alliance, this verdict could well be reversed.

There is wisdom in the old adage that the reins of power in India go through UP. Modi knows that better than most and is hence running down any idea of a ‘mahagathbandhan’. A 40-50 seat loss, if such an alliance is in place in UP, will mean the difference between re-assuming office or sitting out in the opposition.

 
(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-grand-alliance-comes-to-haunt-2674384">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Before the 2015 Bihar state assembly elections, a new concept was introduced in India’s already crowded political lexicon, the ‘mahagathbandhan’. Loosely translated, it stood for a grand alliance of many parties who did not share too many commonalities except for one driving factor — the incessant desire to stop the then seemingly unstoppable Narendra Modi juggernaut in its tracks.

Before the 2015 Bihar state assembly elections, a new concept was introduced in India’s already crowded political lexicon, the ‘mahagathbandhan’. Loosely translated, it stood for a grand alliance of many parties who did not share too many commonalities except for one driving factor — the incessant desire to stop the then seemingly unstoppable Narendra Modi juggernaut in its tracks. In trying to achieve what they wanted, the ‘mahagathbandhan’ had its way. Modi at the height of his popularity was bested in Bihar, the ascendant BJP coming up a cropper with 59 seats against the combined might of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal (U) and the Congress, which bagged a formidable 180 assembly seats. A great political idea had been sown, showing the way ahead to checkmate the BJP if it could. The logic was simple arithmetic. The BJP, which had garnered 31 per cent of the total vote share, had won 282 Lok Sabha seats. It was also the smallest ever vote share for the largest number of seats won. The previous lowest was the Congress that got a little over 40 per cent of the total vote share and 283 seats in 1967, in the days of the yore when the political canvas was a lot less crowded. It proved just one thing: the BJP had gained heavily on account of the badly splintered vote and if closing the ranks would help, the tide could be turned against the saffron party. And that is what happened in Bihar. Since then, it is increasingly becoming apparent that while ‘mahagathbandhan’ is a winning idea, implementing it on a national scale would be a tall order. As things stand now, the whole idea of a grand alliance against the BJP is largely restricted to UP. In Bihar, mahagathbandhan’ already stands dashed with one of the original authors of the idea, Nitish Kumar, on the side of the BJP. It is only in a vast state like UP, which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha, that such a grand alliance plays out. Obviously, the idea of a such a coalition does not apply in, let’s say, Bengal, Odisha, the Northeast or the regional parties in the South other than Kerala. Alliances in states like Maharashtra are between national and regional parties while in most parts of central India, the Hindi-speaking states, like Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, it is going to be a fight mainly between the two national parties, the BJP and the Congress. The two national parties are also locked in a direct confrontation in states like Assam, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Goa, making it very difficult for a `mahagathbandhan’ to take shape in these states. Sure, events in the last two weeks have demonstrated that BSP supremo Mayawati, the Samajwadi Party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are looking to expand their base in MP and Chhattisgarh, hoping to cash in on a three-term anti-incumbency against the BJP and the disenchantment with the long decades of Congress rule. But the difficulty in launching a ‘mahagathbandhan’ appears formidable. The Congress has ruled out giving more than 10 seats to the BSP in MP, which has some presence in districts like Jhansi that border UP and three seats to the SP in MP, which has had some areas of influence and lots of pretensions to power in that state. All of this adds to complicating the situation as far as carving out a grand alliance in UP is concerned. The two regional outfits are already accusing the Congress of acting like the `big brother’in the forthcoming assembly elections in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and promise to get back in kind in UP where the Congress is in a relatively weaker spot. And it is here that the problem lies. In two critical Lok Sabha by-elections in Phulpur and Gorakhpur in UP March this year, the margin of losses are noteworthy. In UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s pocket borough Gorakhpur, the BJP lost by a little over 21,000 votes to the SP that was backed by BSP and the Congress while Phulpur was lost to another SP-led opposition ‘gathbandhan’ by a more respectable under-60,000 votes. Then again in May, the Kairana Lok Sabha bye-elections in UP saw another battle royale with Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)-led combined opposition, including the SP, BSP and Congress, edging out the BJP comfortably by a 50,000 vote margin. But it is instructive to remember that margins like 21,000 or even 50,000 in a Lok Sabha bye-poll in a vastly populated state like UP can be no indication of how things will shape up in the absence of a ‘mahagathbandhan’. And if BSP’s mercurial and unpredictable boss Mayawati’s statements against allying with other parties are any indication, a coalition in UP, at least at this stage, appears like a tall order. After all, if the united opposition polled 51.1 per cent of the total votes in the Kairana constituency, the BJP, which was the loser did not too badly with 46.5 per cent of votes. In the absence of a combined alliance, this verdict could well be reversed. There is wisdom in the old adage that the reins of power in India go through UP. Modi knows that better than most and is hence running down any idea of a ‘mahagathbandhan’. A 40-50 seat loss, if such an alliance is in place in UP, will mean the difference between re-assuming office or sitting out in the opposition. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Grand alliance comes to haunt

The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its &quot;anti-Dalit face stood exposed&quot; while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today.

In an interview to PTI, Akhilesh Yadav also said his wife Dimple Yadav may not contest the next Lok Sabha elections to blunt the nepotism charge that political opponents hurl at Samajwadi Party (SP), which he leads. Dimple Yadav is currently the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj.

The SP chief also alleged that law and order had collapsed during the present dispensation in UP while &quot;political encounters&quot; were being staged. Those involved will have to face a probe sooner or later, he warned.

The SP will exploit to the hilt &quot;the BJP&#39;s conspiracy against a Dalit&quot; during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said today.

He was referring to BJP nominee Anil Agrawal edging out BSP&#39;s Bhimrao Ambedkar in a nail-biting contest earlier this week.

&quot;The victory of the BJP on the ninth seat, contested by the saffron party with the help of money power, has given the SP an opportunity to expose the communal outfit&#39;s anti-Dalit face. Because of the conspiracy hatched by the BJP against a Dalit getting elected, SP-BSP unity has got strengthened all the more for the (2019) Lok Sabha polls,&quot; Akhilesh Yadav alleged.

The real character of the BJP, which &quot;misused money and power against the poor&quot;, stood exposed in the recent Rajya Sabha polls, he claimed.

The SP chief, who cancelled a function to felicitate party leader Jaya Bachchan on getting re-elected to the Rajya Sabha, felt the defeat of the Dalit candidate would cement his party&#39;s relations with Mayawati-led BSP.

Terming the victory of SP candidates in Lok Sabha by-polls in seats earlier held by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as a &quot;big&quot; achievement, Akhilesh Yadav claimed a message had gone across the country that the BJP can be defeated in 2019.

&quot;I term the victories in by-polls as big ones because it was not just our victory but also the defeat of the CM and the deputy CM. Yogi ji, who was campaigning all over the country for the BJP could not save his own turf. It has sent a message all over the country and instilled confidence among people and workers that if the BJP can be defeated in their (leaders&#39;) constituencies, the result can be replicated all over,&quot; he said.

I thank Mayawati ji for her support, he added.

The BJP lost the by-polls in Gorakhpur, the bastion of the chief minister, and Phulpur, earlier held by the deputy chief minister.

Asked about his party&#39;s strategy for the 2019 polls, Akhilesh Yadav said besides booth management, party workers have been asked to reach all villages and interact with people.

&quot;I, our leaders and our cadre will go everywhere. We will apprise the people of the works initiated during my regime and ask them to compare them with what is going on in the BJP regime. The BJP had made a number of promises but fulfilled none. The anger of people are palpable and they have shown it in the by-polls,&quot; he said.

On the BJP&#39;s argument that voting percentage in the Lok Sabha by-polls was less, Akhilesh Yadav said, &quot;Had more voters come out, our victory margin would have been bigger. They (BJP) misled people and won elections and then they could not follow what they promised.&quot;

The SP chief also announced his wife Dimple Yadav will not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. 
 
&quot;We have decided, she will not contest this time as we are charged with &#39;pariwarwad&#39; (nepotism). BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh, Raman Singh, Shivraj Chauhan are indulging in nepotism. Members of their family are in politics. My wife is not contesting...They (BJP) too should also set an example. If they don&#39;t do so and only make allegations against us, I can also change my mind,&quot; he said.

Asked about a future alliance with the Congress, he said the picture will become clear when polls come near.

&quot;My relations with the Congress are good and will remain so. It is a national party while we are strong here in the state. The preparations for stitching together an alliance are on. The leader will be decided later at an opportune time,&quot; the SP chief said.

On how his father Mulayam Singh Yadav felt after Lok Sabha bypoll victories, Akhilesh Yadav said, &quot;He was very happy that youths were elected. He blessed us all.&quot;

Akhilesh Yadav attacked Yogi Adityanath&#39;s statement that &quot;he did not celebrate Eid&quot; and said, &quot;I myself celebrate all festivals and observe nine-day fast during Navratra. My wife (Dimple) remains on fast on Thursdays,&quot; he said.

The former UP chief minister alleged law and order had collapsed under the BJP regime. 
 
&quot;They are doing encounters. But these are political encounters. And I want to tell all those involved that they will have to face probe now or later. They cannot get away with it. The BJP is damaging fabric of the society by spreading communalism and casteism,&quot; he remarked.

On RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Akhilesh Yadav said, &quot;He is not only my relative but a big leader, who had kept communal forces at bay in Bihar. I had sent Kironmay Nanda to meet him recently.&quot;&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its 'anti-Dalit face stood exposed' while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today

The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its "anti-Dalit face stood exposed" while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today. In an interview to PTI, Akhilesh Yadav also said his wife Dimple Yadav may not contest the next Lok Sabha elections to blunt the nepotism charge that political opponents hurl at Samajwadi Party (SP), which he leads. Dimple Yadav is currently the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj. The SP chief also alleged that law and order had collapsed during the present dispensation in UP while "political encounters" were being staged. Those involved will have to face a probe sooner or later, he warned. The SP will exploit to the hilt "the BJP's conspiracy against a Dalit" during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said today. He was referring to BJP nominee Anil Agrawal edging out BSP's Bhimrao Ambedkar in a nail-biting contest earlier this week. "The victory of the BJP on the ninth seat, contested by the saffron party with the help of money power, has given the SP an opportunity to expose the communal outfit's anti-Dalit face. Because of the conspiracy hatched by the BJP against a Dalit getting elected, SP-BSP unity has got strengthened all the more for the (2019) Lok Sabha polls," Akhilesh Yadav alleged. The real character of the BJP, which "misused money and power against the poor", stood exposed in the recent Rajya Sabha polls, he claimed. The SP chief, who cancelled a function to felicitate party leader Jaya Bachchan on getting re-elected to the Rajya Sabha, felt the defeat of the Dalit candidate would cement his party's relations with Mayawati-led BSP. Terming the victory of SP candidates in Lok Sabha by-polls in seats earlier held by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as a "big" achievement, Akhilesh Yadav claimed a message had gone across the country that the BJP can be defeated in 2019. "I term the victories in by-polls as big ones because it was not just our victory but also the defeat of the CM and the deputy CM. Yogi ji, who was campaigning all over the country for the BJP could not save his own turf. It has sent a message all over the country and instilled confidence among people and workers that if the BJP can be defeated in their (leaders') constituencies, the result can be replicated all over," he said. I thank Mayawati ji for her support, he added. The BJP lost the by-polls in Gorakhpur, the bastion of the chief minister, and Phulpur, earlier held by the deputy chief minister. Asked about his party's strategy for the 2019 polls, Akhilesh Yadav said besides booth management, party workers have been asked to reach all villages and interact with people. "I, our leaders and our cadre will go everywhere. We will apprise the people of the works initiated during my regime and ask them to compare them with what is going on in the BJP regime. The BJP had made a number of promises but fulfilled none. The anger of people are palpable and they have shown it in the by-polls," he said. On the BJP's argument that voting percentage in the Lok Sabha by-polls was less, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Had more voters come out, our victory margin would have been bigger. They (BJP) misled people and won elections and then they could not follow what they promised." The SP chief also announced his wife Dimple Yadav will not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "We have decided, she will not contest this time as we are charged with 'pariwarwad' (nepotism). BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh, Raman Singh, Shivraj Chauhan are indulging in nepotism. Members of their family are in politics. My wife is not contesting...They (BJP) too should also set an example. If they don't do so and only make allegations against us, I can also change my mind," he said. Asked about a future alliance with the Congress, he said the picture will become clear when polls come near. "My relations with the Congress are good and will remain so. It is a national party while we are strong here in the state. The preparations for stitching together an alliance are on. The leader will be decided later at an opportune time," the SP chief said. On how his father Mulayam Singh Yadav felt after Lok Sabha bypoll victories, Akhilesh Yadav said, "He was very happy that youths were elected. He blessed us all." Akhilesh Yadav attacked Yogi Adityanath's statement that "he did not celebrate Eid" and said, "I myself celebrate all festivals and observe nine-day fast during Navratra. My wife (Dimple) remains on fast on Thursdays," he said. The former UP chief minister alleged law and order had collapsed under the BJP regime. "They are doing encounters. But these are political encounters. And I want to tell all those involved that they will have to face probe now or later. They cannot get away with it. The BJP is damaging fabric of the society by spreading communalism and casteism," he remarked. On RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Akhilesh Yadav said, "He is not only my relative but a big leader, who had kept communal forces at bay in Bihar. I had sent Kironmay Nanda to meet him recently."

BJP's win in UP Rajya Sabha polls has bolstered SP-BSP unity: Akhilesh Yadav

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/after-ball-tampering-admission-smith-warner-step-down-as-captain-vice-captain-of-australian-cricket-team-37010">After ball-tampering admission, Smith, Warner step down as captain, vice-captain of Australian cricket team</a>

Steve Smith has stepped down as the captain of the Australian cricket team following the ball-tampering saga that took place during the third day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjps-win-in-up-rajya-sabha-polls-has-bolstered-sp-bsp-unity-akhilesh-yadav-37024">BJP&#39;s win in UP Rajya Sabha polls has bolstered SP-BSP unity: Akhilesh Yadav</a>

The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its &quot;anti-Dalit face stood exposed&quot; while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/up-10-persons-arrested-for-alleged-links-to-let-terror-funding-37016">UP: 10 persons arrested for alleged links to LeT, terror-funding</a>

The Uttar Pradesh Police&#39;s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested 10 persons for alleged links to the terrroist outfit the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and allegedly involved in terror-funding activities at the behest of Pakistan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-ram-navami-pandals-vandalised-bjp-accuses-tmc-37020">West Bengal: Ram Navami pandals vandalised, BJP accuses TMC</a>

A Ram Navami pandal was vandalised on Saturday evening by unidentified miscreants in Bardhman district of West Bengal.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-problem-getting-naked-before-the-white-man-but-there-is-revolution-when-govt-asks-for-address-minister-37008">No problem getting naked before white man but revolution when </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-problem-getting-naked-before-the-white-man-but-there-is-revolution-when-govt-asks-for-address-minister-37008">government</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-problem-getting-naked-before-the-white-man-but-there-is-revolution-when-govt-asks-for-address-minister-37008"> asks for name, address: Union Minister&nbsp;</a>

Union Minister of State for Tourism and IT K J Alphons on Saturday said that Indians absolutely have no problem giving fingerprints and getting body naked before the white man at all.

After ball-tampering admission, Smith, Warner step down as captain, vice-captain of Australian cricket team Steve Smith has stepped down as the captain of the Australian cricket team following the ball-tampering saga that took place during the third day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday. BJP's win in UP Rajya Sabha polls has bolstered SP-BSP unity: Akhilesh Yadav The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its "anti-Dalit face stood exposed" while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today. UP: 10 persons arrested for alleged links to LeT, terror-funding The Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested 10 persons for alleged links to the terrroist outfit the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and allegedly involved in terror-funding activities at the behest of Pakistan. West Bengal: Ram Navami pandals vandalised, BJP accuses TMC A Ram Navami pandal was vandalised on Saturday evening by unidentified miscreants in Bardhman district of West Bengal. No problem getting naked before white man but revolution when government asks for name, address: Union Minister Union Minister of State for Tourism and IT K J Alphons on Saturday said that Indians absolutely have no problem giving fingerprints and getting body naked before the white man at all.

WION evening news brief, March 25, 2018

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