Lucknow: It was almost a year ago that the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party joined hands after over two decades to stop the juggernaut of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. However, the alliance failed to leave a mark in the polls and soon after dismal results of the alliance, the two political bigwigs of Uttar Pradesh parted ways.
BSP supremo Mayawati pinned the blame on Akhilesh Yadav-led SP for the poll drubbing, even though Akhilesh did not react to the allegations and continues to do so even today, eight months after the Lok Sabha poll results.
The SP-BSP alliance may have ended on a bitter note, the SP continues to carry image of BSP ideologue Bhimrao Ambedkar along with Nationalist leader and SP ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia. At a recent event held at the party headquarters in Lucknow, the banner carried images of Lohia and Ambedkar hinting at the shift in party’s stand.
Ever since the break-up of brief SP-BSP alliance, many dissenting and ousted BSP leaders along with their supporters have been flocking to the SP. The BSP turncoats have alleged that the Mayawati-led party 'deviated' from the path of BR Ambedkar, while others have alleged that they were shown the door without any reason even after ‘dedicating themselves’ to the party.
However, political experts opine that it is the positioning of the SP as the main opposition against the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh that the BSP leaders are switching sides. It is also being believed that Mayawati’s decision to break away from the SP, blaming it for bad performance and above all, no counter attack on Mayawati by Akhilesh is turning out to be counter-productive for the BSP.
The switching of sides of politicians from the BSP to the SP is a significant development in the politics of Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2022 Assembly polls.
A senior SP leader on condition of anonymity said, “Everyone has seen how Akhilesh Yadav didn’t say a word even after being wrongly blamed by Mayawati for the failure of the alliance. He didn’t say a single word against the BSP. He shows respect towards the BSP ideology as well. Everyone knows who was betrayed by whom. The SP has always given respect to backwards, Dalits and minorities as we believe in socialist ideology. We are sure that in 2022, the SP will form government in the state on its own.”
Meanwhile, senior BSP leader CL Verma who joined SP few days ago said, “I gave so much time to the BSP and even contested the Lok Sabha polls. But one fine day I was told that I am being ousted from the party without being giving a reason. On the other hand, we think it’s the SP who will now take along Dalits and Backwards along with them and that is why I have now joined the party. The SP is giving respect to all sections of the society.”
Over a thousand BSP workers are expected to join the SP on Monday in presence of SP chief. Ram Prasad Chaudhary, a powerful name in the BSP in Basti region and a former minister, will be among those joining the SP today, along with former MP Arvind Chaudhary, former MLA Doodhram and former MLA Nandu Chaudhary. As per information advance toll tax of more than 2000 vehicles has already been paid at the toll plaza in Basti and Faizabad.
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