In UP, there will be confluence of people, thoughts: Akhilesh on alliance

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and amid talks of anti-BJP Mahagatbandhan in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party Chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said there will be "confulence of thoughts and people" in the state.

"Uttar Pradesh me vicharo ka sangam hoga, logo ka sangam hoga. Aur bahot jaldi wo aap logo ke samne aa jayega aur dikhai de jayega (in Uttar Pradesh, there will be a confluence of thoughts and of people and it will be known very soon)," he said while addressing a press conference here.

He was responding to a question on the alliance in the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

When asked further that Congress will be a part of this confluence, he said, "Hamne kaha vicharo ka sangam hoga, logo ka sangam hoga, usi me pura jawab hai (I said that there will be confluence of people and thoughts. All answers are included in that)."

The SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party had defeated the ruling BJP in several by-polls including the state's Chief Minister Gorakhpur parliamentary seat. The BJP and its allies had won 73 out of 80 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

On December 26, the Samajwadi Party leader had lashed out at the Congress for not including its sole legislator in Madhya Pradesh in the cabinet despite its support in formation of the government and in attaining the majority mark.

Talking to the media, the former UP Chief Minister said that by doing so, the Congress had "cleared the path for UP".

This statement from the 45-year-old leader is being seen as another indication of the growing space and disenchantment of the SP from the Congress and the likelihood of the Congress being kept out of the proposed "grand alliance" in Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

On the other hand, Mayawati, the BSP supremo and a prospective partner in the 'mahagathbandhan' has already given enough hints about acting tough on the Congress.

Miffed with the Congress, the BSP chief had, soon after extending support to that party in MP, said that people had with heavy heart voted for the Congress and that she was extending support only to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party at bay.

--IANS

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