UP by-elections: SBSP in talks with SP, BSP for alliance

Ballia (UP), June 5: The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj, an estranged ally of the BJP, on Wednesday said it was in talks with the SP and BSP for forging an electoral alliance for the UP Assembly bypolls. The move comes a day after the 'mahagathbandhan' fell apart.

Speaking to reporters here, party general secretary Arvind Rajbhar said, "The SBSP is in touch with senior leaders of the SP and BSP, and we are hopeful that SBSP will contest the Assembly bypolls after forging an alliance."

Rajbhar said in the monthly meeting held on Tuesday, the strategy for the bypolls was deliberated upon. "The party is now gearing up for the bypolls and panchayat elections," he said.

Yesterday, the opposition 'gathbandhan' in Uttar Pradesh unravelled with BSP chief Mayawati declaring her party will fight the assembly bypolls alone, prompting Akhilesh Yadav to say his SP too is ready to go solo. The Bahujan Samaj Party chief, however, said the break is not permanent and she can work with the Samajwadi Party again if the SP president can "fulfil his duties".

Reacting to her statement, Yadav had said, "If the alliance ends, we will field SP candidates on all 11 seats up for the bypolls after consulting party leaders soon." Mayawati said she will try to ensure that the BSP-SP relationship stays intact.

"On the other hand, political compulsions cannot be ignored completely and everyone knows that," she told the media in the national capital, less than a fortnight after the announcement of the Lok Sabha results.

The BJP won 62 of 80 seats in the state while the opposition alliance bagged just 15, with the BSP winning 10 and the SP five. The Congress got one seat and the BJP ally Apna Dal (S) two. In 2014, the BSP could not even manage one seat while the SP won five that time as well. Bypolls to 11 assembly seats are due in UP after the respective MLAs won the Lok Sabha polls. Nine of them are from the BJP, and one each from the BSP and the SP.

PTI