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For, while the party is keen on a tie-up with the Samajwadi Party (SP), it will not like to have a deal with Kalyan Singh, under whose regime the Babri Masjid was demolished. The party has thus decided to wait for the SP to spell out its relationship with Singh.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Rita Bahuguna Joshi met party president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Tuesday and discussed the latest developments.
“I met Sonia Gandhi because I wanted to apprise her of the confusion within the party following some recent developments, including SP’s unilateral announcement of Lok Sabha candidates’ list and Kalyan Singh’s resignation from the BJP,” she said.
“I have requested her to take some quick decisions on seat sharing and also proposed that we can at least announce the names of candidates for the seats on which we cannot compromise,” the UPCC president added.
Asked about the growing proximity between Singh and Yadav, Joshi said: “I cannot comment because whatever is the adjustment between them, the Congress is certainly out of the picture. The party is not aware of their association. As of now, Kalyan Singh is not a part of the alliance.”
This is not the first time that Yadav and Singh are joining hands. In 2003, they had joined hands to oust Chief Minister Mayawati. The Congress had then supported the Mulayam Singh government that came to power. “But now we have to think beyond UP,” said a Congress leader.
It seems Yadav also realises the fact and thus, has only spoken of giving a SP ticket to Singh’s son Rajvir Singh. For his part, Kalyan Singh has stated he was neither forming any party, nor joining another. Such an arrangement may take care of Congress concerns.
But there may be a problem if Singh asks for certain seats to ensure people belonging to his caste votes for the SP. Singh is an MP from Bulandshahr and though it has become a reserved seat after delimitation, he may well demand it.
Similarly, he may demand Aligarh and Farrukhabad, both of which have substantial population of Lodhs — Singh’s community.
The SP has not yet announced its candidate from Bulandshahr, but the Congress is keen to field a retired IAS officer Devi Dayal from the area. The SP had won Farrukhabad in the last election, but the Congress wants it for former PCC president Salman Khurshid. The Congress’ Brijendra Singh had won from Aligarh in the last election.
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