Congress threat to SP’s M-Y formula
The Congress party, fighting the Uttar Pradesh electoral battle against the BSP, SP and the BJP simultaneously, is posing a threat to the SP’s M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) winning combination. The Sonia Gandhi-led party is banking on minorities, Most Backward Castes (MBCs), Jats and upper castes to check the BSP, SP and the BJP who had ruled the state for over two decades.
“The M-Y combination will not work simply because Mandal and Kamandal issues have no relevance in this election. Moreover, Yadavs’ domination in power politics antagonised other backwards, especially Kurmis,” viewed a Congress strategist.
He said there are 95 Assembly seats where Kurmis are over 20,000 and 305 seats dominated by minorities. They are over 20,000 in each constituency. And 107 Assembly seats are influenced by Kurmis and minorities.
“Our strategy is to isolate Yadavs from other backward castes in the OBC and chamhars from other castes in the SCs,” the leader revealed.
The Congress is optimistic of winning back Brahmins in the absence of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Mr Vajpayee is unwell and thus cannot campaign for the BJP.
“Rahul Gandhi is the great grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru. This is enough to revive the Congress’ political constituency,” the leader felt.
The Congress is banking on floating voters and youths after realising that Ms Mayawati, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and the BJP have nothing new to say after ruling the state for over 20 years. This time, the number of new voters is over 1 crore 38 lakhs and youths between the age group of 18 and 19 are over 60 lakh. They will certainly influence the election, Congress insiders hope.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Tuesday dismissed the talks of a post-poll alliance in UP. “We have presented ourselves as an alternative to the political forces which are ruling UP or have ruled UP in the past... We are our own A team, whether in UP or any other state. If anybody is creating any confusion that we are their B team or C team, let me dispel it once and for all,” Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said.
His reaction came in the wake of reported comments of UP SP chief Akhilesh Yadav about not ruling out the possibility of a post-poll alliance with the Congress.
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