Post SP-BSP snub, Cong to go it alone in UP

After a brainstorming session with senior party leaders, Congress general secretary in-charge of UP Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, said his party would accommodate any secular force capable of taking on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha election.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed the recently forged alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party will have no impact on the state’s politics and the BJP will “effectively wipe them off”.

Speaking to reporters here, Azad said, “The Congress will contest on all 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP and defeat BJP.”

He expressed hope that the Grand Old Party would double the tally of 21 seats it had won in the state in the 2009 general election. Asked whether the Congress will forge a coalition with any other party, Azad said, “If any party is willing to accompany the Congress and the Congress feels that it can fight the BJP, then it will definitely be accommodated.” On his party being left out of the SP-BSPalliance, he said, “We wanted the Congress to have been a part of the Grand Alliance (against the BJP) in UP. But if someone does not want to walk along, nothing can be done.”

Asked whether the Congress would field candidates on seats which will be contested by Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav (since the SP-BSP alliance will not field nominees from Rae Bareli and Amethi), Azad did not give any clear answer.

On the possibility of a post-poll alliance with the SP and the BSP, he said at the national level, the Congress would welcome all secular regional parties. Azad also accused the BJP of dividing the country for power.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “Modi is not concerned about the country, he is bothered about his own chair. One of the biggest scams has taken place during the tenure of this government. The government has not gone for a probe. Not going for a probe does not mean that the scam has not been committed.”

On the possibility of analliance with the Ajit Singh-led RLD, Azad said he wouldnot like to speak to the media about it.