BSP-SP alliance on cards? Akhilesh, Mayawati to hold joint press conference tomorrow

All eyes are set on a joint press conference convened by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday noon in Lucknow with many believing that both the leaders may announce their alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

SP and BSP have been in talks for weeks for going together in the general elections that are scheduled for May. Meeting of both the parties in Delhi last week raised a lot of talk over reports that the two had decided on a 'gathbandhan'.

Earlier, senior SP leader Prof Ram Gopal Yadav said: "BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav will decide with whom the Grand Alliance has to be formed in Uttar Pradesh," he said, insisting that a grand alliance of parties would come up in Uttar Pradesh too.

"Everyone knows that there is going to be a grand alliance. In Uttar Pradesh, SP and BSP are the most important parties," he added.

On December 31, 2018, a meeting of opposition parties took place in the national capital, but the BSP and the SP did not participate in the meeting.

Leaders from nearly 18 opposition parties had participated in the meeting held before the beginning of Parliament's Winter Session on December 11, 2018.

Last year, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati decided to clear their differences and contested as well as won three by-polls. The victory gave hope to both the parties that if they team up, they can pull voters away from the BJP.