According to sources from both the political parties, “they have plan B if she goes alone.”
After Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati declared that she will go alone in Maharashtra, Congress led Democratic Front (DF) Alliance is begin working on a new strategy in Vidarbha and Marathawada.
When asked whether Sharad Pawar approached Mayawati for an alliance, sources said, “Yes, Pawar sahib approached Satish Mishra, a number 2 in BSP but he had not talked about alliance.”
In 2009 assembly elections, the BSP supremo’s dream of gaining a foothold got a setback when the BSP drew a blank. However, it has affected result on more than 40 seats.
Two of the Dalit parties, Ramdas Athavle’s Republican Party of India (RPI(A)) and Ramvilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which supported Democratic Front in 2009 Assembly Elections are with BJP-Shiv Sena led ‘Mahayuti’. “This is also one of the worrying factors for us,” says source.
The Lok Sabha performance of Congress and NCP was not good in the state and “if Mayawati decided to plays game spoiler then it will further put dent on alliance,” said a political expert.
When asked about the recent development to Congress sources, they have not shown any unwillingness over it; however their confidence is low. “We are not afraid of Mayawati, but her presence might give some jolt. Even a single seat does matter in this assembly election,” says Congress source.
Mayawati said she has made it clear to Sharad Pawar that her party will go alone in the assembly elections due in four states in the coming months.
“The NCP leader (Pawar) did not talk to me directly. But he had to BSP’s General Secretary Satish Misra. I had told Misra that there is no harm in talking. But I asked him to make it clear that BSP will have no alliance with Congress or NCP,” Mayawati said.
Sources however have not revealed the Plan B of the party. Other source said, “ Both the parties have decided to give some seats to new parties which will come in alliance. However, the demand of seats by some of the parties is out of proportion. We are still in discussion with some small parties in the state.”
