The proposed “Mahagathbandhan” ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections seems to be reaching a logjam as Samajwadi Party chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has given an early indication stating that they may not join hands with Congress to fight the ruling BJP.
Akhilesh Yadav, speaking to News18 slammed Congress for its arrogance while hinting at Samajwadi Party’s discontent towards Congress and said that they will not join any ‘grand alliance’ to fight the BJP in the upcoming general elections in 2019. The Samajwadi Party chief further accused Congress of being ‘arrogant’ because it considers itself to be a ‘big’ and influential national party.
Akhilesh Yadav reacting to Congress party’s reluctance to form a coalition with SP, he said, “What Congress party did was good. They think their party is big in democracy and thinks we (Samajwadi party and other smaller parties) are nothing. At least we got an opportunity to build our party. Congress party thinks that regional parties cannot do anything without them. The country needs a third option”.
Akhilesh Yadav stressed on the need of a third front to take on both the ruling BJP and Rahul Gandhi led Congress party. He said that people are fed up with the BJP citing results of Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha by-polls where BJP lost to SP-BSP alliance. He further added that there is anger among students, farmers against BJP and a third front alliance is the need of the hour to oust the BJP in the upcoming elections.
Akhilesh Yadav, who is in Madhya Pradesh to campaign ahead of the state elections said both Congress and BJP has deteriorated the condition of people in the state. Expressing his dissatisfaction over forming an alliance in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chattisgarh, Akhilesh Yadav said that only third front with regional parties coming together can work for the betterment of the Madhya Pradesh. He questioned the Congress party’s credibility and asked what it has done to Madhya Pradesh, which Congress ruled for 42 years.
Akhilesh Yadav said that the regional parties will come together to form a third front and stop Narendra Modi’s juggernaut. He said regional leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Chandra Babu Naidu and other strong regional parties are willing to join the third front in the coming months.
Akhilesh Yadav had also been critical of the failure of Congress to bring anti-BJP parties together. Yadav had said Congress is more concerned about stopping ‘cycle’ in the poll-bound states and if it continues to do that, SP will remove its hand and control will be given to someone else.
The Madhya Pradesh state elections will be held in a single phase on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11, 2018, along with the results of four other state elections.