In a bid to prevent shifting of the Muslim vote bank, Samajwadi Party state unit chief Shivpal Yadav is desperately trying to stitch up a “Mahagathbandhan” in the lines of Bihar. Following the raging feud in the Yadav clan, the Muslims, who stuck to SP, have begun shifting towards the BSP.
Sources revealed that with SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav’s backing, Shivpal Yadav has already begun holding parleys with JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and RLD chief Ajit Singh. It may be recalled that the Congress too is in talks with JD(U) and RLD for a proposed grand alliance for the forthcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress has not met the SP leaders and in the event of a split, the party could throw its weight behind Akhilesh Yadav, sources said.
Besides Muslims, the SP also fears losing its core vote bank of the Yadavs if it failed to cobble up a grand alliance. The family war has also apparently “disillusioned” the Yadavs and they could possibly be looking at the BJP, sources said. A senior SP leader maintained that the Yadavs, who prefer to be on the winning side, “generally tilt towards the party which has the possibility of coming to power in the state.” With dalits and Muslims playing a dominant role in a BSP government, the Yadavs tend to vote against the outfit and look for an alternative. “At this juncture, with a weakened SP, BJP is the only alternative for the Yadavs,” the SP leader said. It was argued that the erosion of the Muslim-Yadav vote bank would stop if the SP could stitch up a grand alliance and project itself as one of the main contenders in the race to power.
Claiming that the Yadavs are “nationalists,” the BJP strategists have decided to lure this vote bank by making the surgical strikes against Pakistan one of its main election planks.
On October 27, BJP president, Amit Shah struck at the heart of the Yadav land — Etawah. Stepping into the SP stronghold, Mr Shah, addressing a rally, invoked the Army’s cross-LoC surgical strikes and said; “The Army has done a great job by conducting the surgical strikes. I am proud of that.” By holding a rally at Etawah, the BJP hopes to influence adjacent Yadav dominated constituencies.
While Shipal Yadav is trying for a grand alliance, his nephew and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, has not yet opened his cards. Sources said that if there’s a split, the CM too will toe a similar line and is likely to approach Congress vice-president Mr Gandhi personally.
He has often described Rahul Gandhi as a “friend.” The Congress young turks led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are apparently in favour of throwing their weight behind Akhilesh Yadav in the event of a split.
