'Weak' Samajwadi Party teaming up with 'desperate' Congress will never work out: BJP

With the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) heading steadily towards a possible alliance ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday asserted that the entire development reeked of sheer desperation especially on the part of the grand old party.

Speaking to ANI here, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain stated that the Congress is already 'doomed', and a coalition with a weaker party like the Samajwadi Party, is not going to benefit them either.

"Two weak parties can never make a strong unit, especially when the popular tide is with BJP this time. Any party or any coalition whatsoever cannot daunt the popularity BJP has garnered in UP this time. Whenever the election takes place, five years of the failure of Akhilesh Yadav's rule, that he has tried to cloud in his family disputes, would be exposed. People have seen for themselves the vandalism, crime and zero development by SP," he said.

He further remarked, that the Congress had to take Sheila Dikshit from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh as their candidate first, and now with their plans of uniting with SP shows their own lack of trust amongst their party.

"Congress is now in shambles; therefore fighting individually already seems as a lost cause for them," Hussain added.

Earlier today, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad stated that his party would enter into an alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Azad's statement came as his party colleague Sheila Dikshit stated that she would withdraw as the chief ministerial candidate if her party enters into an alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the high-stakes polls.

Dikshit told ANI there cannot be two chief ministerial faces in case of an alliance in the politically crucial state.

"Talks are on and the SP-Congress alliance will benefit Uttar Pradesh. I will do what the party high command decides," she added.

Earlier on Monday, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said he was hopeful his party will forge an alliance with the Congress for the polls.

Ramgopal, however, said the final decision regarding forging an alliance with the Congress will be taken by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

"It is Akhilesh Yadav who will decide on the alliance, but I am hopeful it will happen," he said.

Uttar Pradesh will have seven-phase polling between February 11 and March 8. The term of the present government will end on May 27.