Wary of Priyanka, SP, BSP keep 'political distance' from opposition meet

A hyperactive Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may have been behind the decision of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and BSP- the two key political players in Uttar Pradesh- to keep away from the opposition meet on Friday.

According to the sources in the SP and BSP here, the two parties did not want to be seen ''playing second fiddle'' to Congress, which was ''not much politically relevant'' in the state.

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Sources said that both SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati were wary of Priyanka's efforts to strengthen the Congress in the politically crucial state.

Priyanka has been on the forefront in taking on the BJP on different issues, including the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the massacre of tribals in Sonebhadra as well as during the migrant workers' crisis.

The two parties find themselves pushed to the corner by a hyperactive Priyanka in the state.

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The Congress leader has been trying to bring back the 'brahmins, Dalits' and the Muslims to her party fold after taking charge of the state last year. While the 'Dalits' formed the core vote bank of Mayawati, the SP considered the Muslims to be its main supporters.

''We can not take part in any opposition meeting if it is chaired by the Congress, which is eyeing our core vote bank in UP,'' remarked a senior SP leader while speaking DH here on Friday.

Mayawati has, in fact, been quite vocal in her criticism of the Congress. She criticised Priyanka for what she alleged ''indulging'' in politics over migrant workers' plight.

''Priyanka Gandhi should have arranged buses for migrant workers in Punjab and Rajasthan instead of offering buses to ferry migrant workers home in UP,'' she had said.