Confident of Forging 2019 Alliance, Says Akhilesh Yadav Day After Mayawati’s ‘Conditions Apply’

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is confident of stitching a grand opposition alliance to challenge the BJP for 2019 general elections.

“Everyone is fed up of BJP and they want it out of power. I want to assure you that alliance will happen in UP. Let the time come… We are confident of forming an alliance for 2019 elections. The opposition wants the BJP to be defeated in the next general elections," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

The statement came a day after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said her party is ready for an alliance only if it gets “respectable" number of seats, else her party will go solo in the upcoming elections.

Speaking to media in Delhi on Sunday evening, Akhilesh said, “It is only the grand alliance which can stop the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. We won’t mind taking two steps back if required for the formation of this alliance. We also expect same from the Indian National Congress which is a national party. The question of PM candidate is not very crucial and it can be decided after the results are out in 2019. Regional parties are going to play a crucial role in the upcoming elections as they have the key to defeat BJP."

BSP chief Mayawati, while speaking to media at her new house in Mall Avenue, Lucknow had stated that she is not averse to joining a grand alliance against the BJP, but will agree only if her party is allocated a “respectable" share of seats in states where it is currently a minor player. “We are not against having an alliance in the upcoming polls. But it will happen only if we are given a respectable number of seats. Otherwise, we will go alone," Mayawati said.

However, many political observers believe that Mayawati has always been good at bargaining when it comes to seat-sharing and this time too she has made the move to get maximum number of seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections in some states.

Speaking to News18 on the issue, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said, “Samajwadi Party has always respected all allies. Today, our main objective is to defeat the BJP and forces alike. In order to achieve this we would enter into an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. Our party leadership will ensure that all the allies get respectable share of seats."