8 non-BJP parties form coalition ahead of MP elections

Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections, slated to take place this year, eight parties have formed an alliance to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. The parties are expected to approach the Congress shortly.

Loktantrik Janata Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI-M, Communist Party of India (CPI), Bahujan Sangharsh Dal, Gondwana Gantantra Party, Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Samanta Dal, and Prajatantrik Samadhan Party have formed the alliance on ideological and theoretical grounds to contest the elections against the BJP.

Govind Yadav, Loktantrik Janata Dal convenor said, "To save the constitutional democracy and to offer an option of alternative politics in the upcoming assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections, several non-BJP parties have formed the 'Mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance).. The seat distribution is expected to be announced in the coming weeks."

Keeping in mind the prospects of a grand alliance in 2019, Congress party is also working on a 'package deal' with Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh -- the three states that will go to polls this year.

According to sources, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has asked the respective state in-charges of the party to finalise the modalities on seat sharing. Sources added that Congress does not want the secular votes to be divided at any cost and is willing to walk an extra mile to accommodate allies.