Aam Aadmi Party's Sanjay Singh discusses poll pact with Akhilesh Yadav

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav at latter’s office in Lucknow on Saturday, at a time when both parties are exploring new alliances to defeat the BJP in the state in next year’s assembly election.

The SP has traditionally faced a challenge in performing well on urban seats, and the AAP could be of help if the two parties were to join hands, according to political observers.

Singh said it was a courtesy visit to wish Yadav on his birthday. But he did not rule out any possibility of the two parties coming together.


This was the first such meeting between the two leaders, said people aware of the matter. They said the bonhomie between the two parties was evident recently, when they raised the issue of alleged irregularity in the land purchase for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“We are not doing politics with a tiny heart. We will take a decision based on whatever will be the best for the state,” Singh told media persons.

For the past few months AAP has been trying to expand its presence in Uttar Pradesh. During the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the three central farm laws, the party has organised several kisan mahapanchayats or gatherings of farmers where AAP chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed the farmers.

If the two parties were to stitch an alliance, AAP could contest seats around Delhi-National Capital Region and some other urban pockets in UP. In areas near Delhi, it can seek to influence voters with its promise of providing free electricity as its government does in the capital.

Besides, AAP has a strong presence in social media which could also help a joint campaign of the two parties. AAP’s Singh has also been raising the issue of alleged exploitation of Brahmins in the state.

More such meetings between the two parties and other smaller parties are likely to be held in the run-up to the polls, said the people cited earlier.