Confident of forging 2019 alliance: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow, Sep 17: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav is confident of stitching a grand opposition alliance to challenge the BJP for 2019 general elections.

"Everyone is fed up of BJP and they want it out of power. I want to assure you that alliance will happen in UP. Let the time come... We are confident of forming an alliance for 2019 elections. The opposition wants the BJP to be defeated in the next general elections," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

The statement came a day after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said her party is ready for an alliance only if it gets "respectable" number of seats, else her party will go solo in the upcoming elections.

BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday said her party will join the front only if it gets a "respectable share" of seats. "Otherwise, we will go alone," she said.

"Our party is not against the alliance, but our stand is very clear that we will ally with a political party only if we get a respectable share of seats. Otherwise, our party feels it better to contest the elections alone," she said.

The Congress has the biggest responsibility and it should show a big heart by taking everyone along. It should hold discussions with all opposition parties, he said.

The opposition will choose its leader after the Lok Sabha polls and it should set aside differences to achieve the larger goal of ousting the BJP, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

"We will choose our leader (of the grand alliance) after the elections. We have to stop the BJP. If we can stop the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, we can stop them in all of India," Yadav said at the NDTV Yuva conclave.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Samajwadi Party lost in Uttar Pradesh because the RSS misled people, but people have now seen through them.

He said the faith of opposition parties has been shaken.

"Not just our parties, but to save the country we have to stay away from the RSS. RSS creates a divide between us based on religion, caste. That is why I am against them," he said.

The BJP's plan was to keep the youth fighting among themselves over religion and caste so that they do not ask for jobs and income, Akhilesh Yadav said.