SP may withdraw support to UPA govt
Party feels marginalised by Cong in Uttar Pradesh
Cramped for space in the State amid the ongoing Congress-Bahujan Samaj Party “fight,” the Samajwadi Party (SP) may consider withdrawing support to the United Progressive Alliance government to “prevent” the Congress from “unseating” the SP from the position of the principal opposition party in Uttar Pradesh.
According to senior SP leaders, confusion prevailed among the party workers in the State on their role in the Congress-Samajwadi Party war.
“The Samajwadi Party could be isolated if it does not formulate a clear cut strategy to give an umambigious message to the workers...the workers are getting restless,” said a senior state Samajwadi Party leader.
Dilemma
In a candid admission, state Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Singh Yadav also said that the party workers are in a dilemma over their role in the Congress-Samajwadi Party war.
“Since the resurgence of the Congress in the State in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the party has been on the forefront on organising agitational programmes and highlighting failures of the Mayawati government,” another senior Samajwadi Party leader said.
Even the BSP supremo and Chief Minister Mayawati considers the Congress a ‘bigger threat’ to her party than the Samajwadi Party. “Mayawati has been targeting the Congress in the party meetings and has totally ignored the Samajwadi Party,” he quipped.
The SP leaders admit that the “Rita Bahuguna Joshi episode” has provided the Congress with a major issue to corner the Bahujan Samaj Party government.
“While the Congress has already announced a State- wide agitation from August 1 on Mayawati’s failures, the Samajwadi Party is still groping in the dark,” the leader remarked.
The party leadership must take some concrete steps to energise the party workers. “An action plan must be made immediately or we may be dislodged from our position of the main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
The issue of withdrawal of support would come up in the Party’s special three-day national convention to be held in Agra from August 19.
Review of support
“The party, at this convention, will review its support to the United Progressive Alliance government,” the leader said.
According to party spokesman Rajendra Choudhury, the convention will be chaired by Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“We will also discuss the post-Lok Sabha poll scenario and our strategy for the coming months,” he said.
Earlier, the convention was to start on August 25 but the date has been advanced in view of Ramzan which begins from the last week of August.
DH News Service
