SP-BSP alliance likely continue in UP bypolls

Notwithstanding the defeat in Uttar Pradesh in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and BSP are likely to contest the forthcoming assembly bypolls on 11 seats in alliance.

According to sources in the SP and the BSP, the two parties have decided to contest the bypolls in an alliance as they feel that they will have a better chance to challenge the saffron party.

"We can put up a good fight and even wrest a few seats from the BJP in the bypolls if we contest them together," said a senior SP leader while speaking to DH in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Both SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati had said that their alliance would continue in the next assembly elections in the state, scheduled in 2022.

There were, however, rumblings within the SP after the LS polls. A section of the party was opposed to the continuance of the alliance. "We did not gain anything from the alliance... on the other hand, the BSP gained at our expense... our votes were transferred to the BSP and their votes were not transferred to us... we should contest the assembly by-polls alone," said a senior SP leader, who was not in favour of the alliance.

Interestingly, the BSP has never contested bypolls. It is not clear if the trend would continue. Bypolls would be held in 11 assembly constituencies which fell vacant after the sitting MLAs from the seats won the LS polls.

The assembly seats going to the by-polls included Tundla, Govind Nagar, Lucknow Cant, Gangoh, Pratapgarh, Manikpur, Balaha, Zaidpur, Iglas, Rampur Sadar and Jalalpur.

Eight of the seats were held by the BJP while its alliance partner Apna Dal held one seat. The SP and the BSP held one seat each.