The Akhilesh Yadav faction of the Samajwadi Party seems to be inching closer to sealing a deal with the Congress, even as the Election Commission is yet to decide on the fate of the SP and its ‘cycle’ poll symbol.
While talk of a pre-poll alliance has been raging for some time now, hoardings of Kannauj MP Dimple Yadav, who is Akhilesh's wife, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have come up in Allahabad – further fuelling the speculation.
The hoardings with pictures of the two women figuring prominently have been put up by Congress workers Chowdhary and Irshad Ullah.
The slogan in the hoardings says “Mahilaon ka UP mein bajega danka, jab saath aayengi Dimple aur Priyanka” (Women in Uttar Pradesh will be empowered, when Dimple and Priyanka will come together).
Ullah, who is Allahabad general secretary of the district Congress committee, said the workers want the tie-up to happen at the earliest as this would not only consolidate woman power but also prevent division of Muslim vote. This will stop the BJP from coming to power, he added.
There are many other votaries who favour the Congress and the Akhilesh faction to come together. Sources say Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has tasked his wife with negotiating with Priyanka Gandhi while he is in talks with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and his team.
But Congress veterans like Ghulam Nabi Azad, state president Raj Babbar and the party’s Dalit face PL Punia are opposed to an alliance. They feel a tie-up with the ruling SP could harm Congress as it would bring with it the anti-incumbency factor.
With both Congress and the Akhilesh faction facing an uncertain future in the forthcoming state assembly polls, an alliance appears to be a necessity and a done deal.
And the added advantage of cashing in on nari shakti (women power) is likely to only cement the tie-up, insiders say.
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