JD (U) pro grand alliance in UP, urges like-minded parties to join hands against BJP

Amidst speculation that a grand alliance is on the cards in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh to halt the progress of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the assembly polls scheduled next year, the Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday said the like-minded political parties, who are against the divisive and communal agenda of the saffron party, should join hands and added that the same formula should be applied on a pan-India basis.

JD (U) leader Pawan Verma, who was reacting to the meeting between Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Congress' poll strategist Prashant Kishor, voiced his opinion in favour of a grand alliance similar to the one in Bihar last year.

"We believe that like-minded parties, who are opposed to the BJP in particular its politics and divisive and communal agenda and absence of governance strategies...those who are opposed to the BJP on this plank... like-minded parties should come together. That endeavour needs to be made not only in Uttar Pradesh but on a pan-India basis. We showed an example of it in Bihar," Verma told ANI.

Stating that the JD (U) has authorised its national president Nitish Kumar to explore all options to create such alliances with like-minded parties, Verma advocated that the parties in Uttar Pradesh must follow the suit.

The Samajwadi Party boss along with his close aide Amar Singh met Kishor in the national capital yesterday and held a two-hour meeting apparently to discuss the possibility of an alliance before the poll dates are announced.

Last week, Mulayam's younger brother and state Samajwadi Party chief Shivpal Singh had met JD(U)'s K. C. Tyagi and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh to invite them to the party's 25th anniversary in Lucknow on November 5.

Shivpal had said Lohiaites and followers of Charan Singh should join hands to beat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadi Party, which was initially part of Bihar's grand alliance, had walked out after it was offered only a handful of seats to contest the assembly elections there.

The grand alliance of the JD (U), RJD and Congress scripted a glorious electoral victory last year defeating the BJP-led NDA.

Shivpal had recently blamed his estranged cousin Ram Gopal Yadav for the Samajwadi Party's decision to walk out of the alliance in Bihar.