SP-Cong-RLD-JD(U) alliance likely

 Decks were cleared for a grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh with the Election Commission (EC) deciding to award the reins of the Samajwadi Party (SP) to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The commission set aside the claims of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Soon after the EC order, Akhilesh’s political strategist Ramgopal Yadav said that the SP will make moves towards forging a grand alliance with the Congress and other like-minded parties.

The SP-Congress-Rashtriya Lok Dal-Janata Dal(United) alliance may be announced in the next couple of days. The Congress, too, welcomed as “most judicious” the EC order to award the SP’s election symbol to Akhilesh.

Cong gears up
“Obviously we will now see how we can move forward,” Congress spokesperson R P N Singh told reporters here.

Three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Congress’ chief ministerial face for the Uttar Pradesh elections, also announced that she was ready to make way for Akhilesh to take the leadership role.

“I am ready to step away if the Congress decides to enter into an alliance with Akhilesh,” Dikshit said. The Congress leaders have already been in back room talks with Akhilesh’s team for an alliance with the Janata Dal(United) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

A source said the SP was ready to spare about 85 seats to the Congress, around 25 seats to the RLD and a couple of seats for the JD(U) in the 403-member Assembly.

Congratulatory messages poured in for Akhilesh from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as well as Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad.

“I congratulate Akhilesh and appeal to Mulayam Singh that it is an election for the country and not for Uttar Pradesh,” Lalu said.