In a bid to keep the option open for a post-poll tieup with the Congress, the Samajwadi Party is learnt to have briefed its leaders to target the ruling BSP in the election campaign mostly and ignore attacks on the party by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi. The SP is estimating that there would be hung Assembly after the poll, with the party emerging a contender to form the government with supports from other parties.
“Most likely there will be split verdict in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The SP is clear that the party is in direct contest against the ruling BSP. Therefore, we will not make any bitter attack on the Congress to avoid shutting the door on the grand old party for a possible post-poll tieup,” said a senior SP functionary.
The SP leaders have been told to be mild in their criticism of Mr Gandhi, who had recently accused party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav of having lost the touch on the ground.
“We are not going to be distracted by what Congress leaders say about our leaders. The SP has been the principal Opposition party of the BSP. We are aware of our position. There is an attempt to project an impression that the UP polls are all about the BSP and the Congress. However, the situation is far from what is being projected,” added the SP functionary. The SP leaders are of the view that the party would fall short of numbers to form the next government for which they will have to seek the support of the Congress and the RLD.
“We had a government earlier with the alliance of the Congress and RLD. So, when the situation demands, the leaders can again sit across and hammer out an arrangement to ensure that the BSP does not come back into power again by manoeuvring support of the BJP,” said the SP functionary.