New Delhi [India], Jan 22 : Downplaying the freshly forged alliance of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said it does not matter that how many parties unite, as the people of the state support the saffron outfit.
Asserting that the common man of Uttar Pradesh is fed up of the Samajwadi Party's inefficiency and that the Congress has no recognition in the state, BJP state Chief Keshav Prasad Maurya emphasised that in such a case his party stands a great chance.
"I have said this earlier as well that no matter the SP, BSP and Congress unite against the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), the BJP will win anyway, because the people of the state are in support of BJP.
The Samajwadi party is very anxious because they know in the past five years they have not done anything in Uttar Pradesh and the people of the state is very angry from them," said Maurya.
"On the day of voting the people of the state will vindicate their anger against the SP. So not matter the Samajwadi allies with the Congress it does not make any difference and anyway, Congress has no recognition in UP," he added.
Putting all speculations to rest, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party earlier in the day finally forged an alliance for the high-voltage Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
The Congress, which wanted to contest as many as 121 seats, has reportedly now settled for 105 seats. The development comes after Congress general secretary Ahmed Patel said that Priyanka Gandhi intervened to end the ongoing deadlock over entering into an alliance to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the politically crucial state.
"Wrong to suggest lightweights were dealing on behalf of Congress party. Discussion was at highest level- b/w CM (UP),GS I/C (and) Priyanka Gandhi," he tweeted. Eyeing a second term in office, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav yesterday said that his final offer was 100 seats for the Congress.
However, Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal yesterday said the possibility of an alliance was "almost over" and blamed the "stubborn" attitude of Congress for the deadlock.
"The Chief Minister (Akhilesh Yadav) had made an offer of 100 seats to the Congress, but they are asking for 120 seats.
We told them that we have 234 sitting legislators and there are some others who will also contest. So, we need at least 300 seats for ourselves," Agarwal told ANI. Akhilesh had earlier on Friday announced candidates for 209 constituencies, which will vote in the first two phases of the assembly polls.
Interestingly, the constituencies included nine in western Uttar Pradesh which were won by the grand old party in the 2012 assembly polls.
The Samajwadi Party said to be the major partner in the alliance has so far argued that the Congress performed better only in 54 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the last polls.
Uttar Pradesh will vote in seven phases beginning February 11 and results will be announced on March 11.
Source: ANI
