All eyes are set on a joint press conference convened by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday noon in Lucknow with many believing that both the leaders may announce their alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The meeting of SP and BSP, who have been in talks for weeks, in Delhi last week fuelled talks over reports that the two had decided on a ‘gathbandhan’.
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Rashtriya Lok Dal President Ajit Singh said: “We are a part of the grand alliance, we haven’t discussed seats yet. Mayawati Ji and Akhilesh Ji will decide whether there will be an alliance with Congress or not.”
Earlier, senior SP leader Prof Ram Gopal Yadav said, “BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav will decide with whom the Grand Alliance has to be formed in Uttar Pradesh.”
“Everyone knows that there is going to be a grand alliance. In Uttar Pradesh, SP and BSP are the most important parties,” he added.
On December 31, 2018, a meeting of opposition parties took place in the national capital, but the BSP and the SP did not participate in the meeting.
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Leaders from nearly 18 opposition parties had participated in the meeting held before the beginning of Parliament’s Winter Session on December 11, 2018.
Last year, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati decided to clear their differences and contested as well as won three by-polls. The victory gave hope to both the parties that if they team up, they can pull voters away from the BJP.