SP victory in bypolls boost chances of a coalition in UP

With the tacit understanding between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP in the Lok Sabha bye-elections for two seats paying off, chances of a 'mahagathbandhan' of anti-BJP parties before the 2019 general elections got a boost in Uttar Pradesh.

These results are the beginning of formation of a broadest possible alliance of opposition forces before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, senior political analyst and retired head of the political science department of the Lucknow University Dr Ramesh Dixit said.

"The Congress will also be forced to come into this fold with all the major players," Dixit said, adding that all these parties were working to oust the BJP.

"This showing has come as a silver lining for all the other parties and notwithstanding their inner contradictions their major concern of maintaining their political relevance which is under challenge will guide them to fall in line," Dixit said.

Social scientist Prof Nadeem Husnain said it was the fight for the survival and all the parties will be forced to somehow sew together a working alliance in 2019.

"Their alliance in Uttar Pradesh in 2022 looks a little difficult as they have major stakes in the state and issues like leadership and chief minister's post are their Achilles heel," Husnain, who was with the department of Anthropology of Lucknow University said.

The victory has also come in as a major boost for the cadres of the SP and BSP.

"Though a decision to this effect will be taken by the party high command of both the parties when the time comes, it has given hope to workers that this is the only way to counter the onslaught of the BJP," a Samajwadi Party leader said.

In a surprise move, BSP president Mayawati had said "(since) BSP has not fielded any candidate from Phulpur and Gorakhpur, but this does not mean that party workers will not cast their votes. They will in fact exercise their voting rights appropriately...As per my earlier directives, the BSP workers will vote for a candidate who will be in a position to defeat the BJP, and there is nothing wrong in it."