Congress blamed for disquiet in grand alliance

Bhopal: In a significant development, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday held Congress responsible for uncertainty over formation of the anti-BJP grand alliance or “Mahagathbandhan”.

Breaking his silence for the first time on the vexed issue, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, who was on two-day tour to Chhatarpur in Mahakoshal region of Madhya Pradesh to campaign for his party candidates for the November 28 assembly elections in the state, told reporters, “I have not gone after Congress to form ‘Mahagathbandhan’. It is responsibility of Congress to take the like-minded parties along with it (to give shape to the grand alliance).”

Akhiles, who was upset with Congress for overlooking his party’s offer to forge alliance with it in the upcoming assembly elections in MP, observed, “SP has stood by Congress whenever the latter got weakened. SP has always proved to be a good friend of Congress.”

He appeared aghast over the decision by Mr Arjun Arya, fielded by his party against chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Budhni assembly seat, suspecting hand of a senior Congress leader in it.

“If the reports of involvement of a Congress leader in the decision by his party candidate in Budhni to spurn the SP ticket were true, then Congress needs to introspect over it”, he said.

“That’s why the Bahujan Samaj Party dumped Congress”, he quipped in a veiled warning to Congress that he may review ties with the grand old party.

Maintaining aggressive posture towards Congress, Mr Yadav offered an open invitation to Congress leaders in MP who would be denied tickets by their parties to join SP and Contest in the coming assembly elections in MP as his party nominee.

“My parties’ doors are open for Congress leaders. They should join SP and get party ticket”, he added. SP has already announced not to have poll understanding with Congress in MP.