Very dangerous mistake to ignore us, says Congress on proposed SP-BSP tie-up

New Delhi, Jan 12: Ignoring the Congress in Uttar Pradesh can be a 'very dangerous mistake', the party asserted on Friday, a day before the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are likely to announce their alliance for Lok Sabha elections in the politically crucial state.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the objective of all opposition parties should be to defeat the ruling BJP and eliminate 'autocracy, misgovernance' at the Centre. He, however, accepted that the Congress has 'fallen on difficult times'.

Singhvi's statements came ahead of SP president Akhilesh Yadav's and BSP chief Mayawati's joint press meet in Lucknow on Saturday. The presser will be the first after the two parties gave broad contours of an electoral alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

"I don't think anybody should underestimate the strength, extent and reach and vote share, presence and support of the Congress in a state like Uttar Pradesh. We may have fallen on difficult times. But I think to ignore us can prove to be a very dangerous mistake. Since everybody realises that, I think we will have a happy and harmonious solution sometime in the near future," he said when asked about the possible SP-BSP alliance.

"Those who in any manner do not do it will be blamed ultimately by the public, which knows everything. Therefore, it is an obligation on each one of the parties to do so (defeat the BJP)," Singhvi asserted.

Asked about Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy saying he was merely a 'clerk' and did not have a say in running the state government, Singhvi said the remark might have been made in the heat of the moment and that the two parties were 'happily married'.

On BJP chief Amit Shah's remarks of winning the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the Congress leader said, "These jumlas have become so stereotyped and so repetitive that the party president speaks in almost auto-pilot and no one believes them (rhetoric)."

On Shah's remarks about formation of 'unholy alliances', Singhvi said it was reflective of the 'very grave frustration and fear and absolute chaos' in the ranks of the BJP.

He also took a dig at Union minister Piyush Goyal over his remarks against Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging the leader of opposition is habitual to giving dissents.

PTI