Congress still not sure of tie-up
Apart from opposition to the Mulayam-Kalyan electoral pact, Congress leaders are insisting on contesting at least eight seats for which SP has named candidatesx.
By C L Manoj, ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: Apart from opposition to the Mulayam-Kalyan electoral pact, Congress leaders are insisting on contesting at least eight seats for which SP has named candidatesx.
���If an alliance has to take place, SP has to accept friendly contest in at least six to eight seats,��� said a leader. The Congress wishes to contest 25 seats in alliance with SP, apart from the `friendly contests.��� The SP leadership was confident of settling the alliance issue with Sonia Gandhi before the scheduled CWC meeting on Thursday.
But that it did not happen indicated Congress��� lack of urgency. The party high command is not amused by the manner in which the SP unilaterally announced 53 candidates. There is also an assumption among Congress leaders that the political climate was not in favour of NDA and the party could afford to gamble with some potential allies. Given the Congress state in UP, its reluctance to have a credible alliance has surprised observers but according to Congress sources the party realises that the lesser the number it contests, the faster its apparatus would disappear from non-contesting areas.
It is also a fact that Congress, for all the post-nuclear deal camaraderie, does not trust SP���s post-poll plans. Congress leaders feel an alliance between the two parties would help the SP to check its potential loss to BSP than Congress improving its position. With the so-called Third Front sponsors lurking in the shadow, many Congress leaders argue that SP may be still keeping the ���non-Congress, non-BJP��� post poll-option open.
���If an alliance has to take place, SP has to accept friendly contest in at least six to eight seats,��� said a leader. The Congress wishes to contest 25 seats in alliance with SP, apart from the `friendly contests.��� The SP leadership was confident of settling the alliance issue with Sonia Gandhi before the scheduled CWC meeting on Thursday.
But that it did not happen indicated Congress��� lack of urgency. The party high command is not amused by the manner in which the SP unilaterally announced 53 candidates. There is also an assumption among Congress leaders that the political climate was not in favour of NDA and the party could afford to gamble with some potential allies. Given the Congress state in UP, its reluctance to have a credible alliance has surprised observers but according to Congress sources the party realises that the lesser the number it contests, the faster its apparatus would disappear from non-contesting areas.
It is also a fact that Congress, for all the post-nuclear deal camaraderie, does not trust SP���s post-poll plans. Congress leaders feel an alliance between the two parties would help the SP to check its potential loss to BSP than Congress improving its position. With the so-called Third Front sponsors lurking in the shadow, many Congress leaders argue that SP may be still keeping the ���non-Congress, non-BJP��� post poll-option open.
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