Unnerved over realignment of political forces opposed to her, BSP supremo and UP chief minister Mayawati is reportedly mulling over advancing the state Assembly election to as early as November this year or latest by February next year.
Though the UP Assembly election would be due in June next year, the BSP circle is abuzz with anticipation that the polls could be advanced in a bid to disturb the calculations of the Opposition parties. The move is reportedly being deliberated following the sustained campaign of arch rival Samajwadi Party to corner the ruling BSP on the issue of “deteriorating law and order situation” in the state. In an indication of the likely advancement of the state election, the UP government has been on a spree on transfer and posting of the IAS and PCS officers for the last two weeks. “Such an exercise is generally taken in the run-up to election and this also drops ample hints that the advancement of the state election is very much on the card. An unusually large number of bureaucrats have already been transferred, while the exercise is still taking place,” stated a senior BSP functionary.
However, what is most unnerving the UP chief minister according to the BSP sources is the possibility of some kind of grand alliance of the Opposition parties. “The RLD and Peace Party have already struck alliance among themselves apart from taking other smaller parties on the board. This alliance will either align with the SP or the Congress to emerge as the main front challenging Ms Mayawati from coming back to power,” stated the BSP functionary, adding that it would be prudent for the ruling party to call for an early election to thwart polarisation of Opposition forces.
The BSP leaders are also concerned that the though the party had come back in power on the plank of law and order situation, the same is being used by the Opposition parties to target Ms Mayawati. The SP has been spearheading campaign in the state to highlight the poor law and order condition in the state, which is fast catching the attention of the people, added the BSP functionary, as another reason for the ruling party to go for early polls.