BSP, Tiwari union may affect Congress

New Delhi: The Congress could be in trouble in Rajasthan with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati deciding to join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) splinter group led by Ghanshyam Tiwari for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Talks are on between Mr Tiwari’s outfit Bharat Vahini Party, the BSP and a few smaller entities for a seat-sharing pact, sources said. Mr Tiwari, sitting MLA from the Sanganer Assembly constituency, was a former education minister in the Rajasthan government. He was a senior leader of the BJP in Rajasthan and a member of the party’s central working committee before falling out with chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia and forming his own political outfit.

With BSP and Mr Tiwari’s outfit coming together it could be a four cornered fight in Rajasthan in which splitting of anti-BJP votes could damage Congress’ prospects.

While the Congress has refused to align with any other Opposition party to take on the BJP, the Left parties and Samajwadi Party have formed a secular democratic front of their own.

Analysts speculate that the BSP aligning with Mr Tiwari’s party will result in a dent in Congress votes. The Congress, meanwhile, was planning to bring out the list of candidates for Rajasthan on October 22 for which its screening committee headed by Kumari Selja has sought recommendations from the 44-member pradesh election committee (PEC). The state goes to the polls on December 7.

If the recommendation of PEC members matches the names proposed by the secretary in charge, the party will finalise those tickets, a senior Congress leader said adding the results of ground survey will also be taken into account.

“If the party gives a ticket on recommendation of a PEC member then that member will have to take responsibility of winning that seat,” he added.