Signs of changing political equations visible: Patel

Signs of changing political equations are visible but it is too early to predict if the opposition unity against the BJP would sustain till next year's Lok Sabha polls, senior NCP leader Praful Patel said today.

Patel stated this a day after the BJP faced electoral reverses in Lok Sabha bypolls in Bhandara-Gondiya constituency in Maharashtra and Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, mainly because of several opposition parties getting together.

Talking to PTI, Patel said BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav joining hands in Uttar Pradesh and Congress-JD(s) coming together in Karnataka are signs of changing political equations.

To a question on whether the anti-BJP opposition unity can sustain till the Lok Sabha polls next year, he said, it is too early to say.

Patel said the Congress and the NCP have been in an alliance earlier and therefore it was easier for the two partiesto join hands again.

We have been alliance partners barring the 2014 assembly elections. I see no problem in continuing the alliance, he added.

The Bhandara-Gondiya seat was won by the NCP which was being supported by the Congress.

The Kairana seat was bagged by the Samajwadi Party candidate who had the support of other parties like the BSP and RLD.

Patel said the NCP could win Bhandara-Gondiya parliamentary seat because of the Congress support.

He said the BJP could win the Palghar seat in Maharashtra because the opposition was severely fragmented there.

"See the number of votes polled by Bahujan Vikas Agadhi, CPM, Shiv Sena and Congress. The BJP poached on the Congress candidate at the last minute and fielded him as their nominee," the NCP leader said.

Patel said the by-poll results declared yesterday proves that people are unhappy with the performance of the central government.

"Be it agriculture distress, rising prices including that of petrol and diesel, tere is a question mark on the Centres ability to handlethese issues, said the former union minister.