New Delhi:The Congress is planning to stage a show of opposition unity in Uttar Pradesh and has invited allies like Samajwadi Party (SP), RLD and some smaller groups to join Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which will be in the state from February 14 to 25.
"We have invited all our allies to join the yatra. This will send a message of unity,” All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told ETV Bharat.
According to party insiders, though there is a broad electoral understanding with the SP and RLD, an invitation may also be sent to BSP supremo Mayawati, who has refused to join the INDIA alliance.
The Congress had invited all these parties to join Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' last year also when it passed through western Uttar Pradesh and lasted only three days. This time, the Congress is pinning a lot of hopes from the 'Nyay Yatra' which will spend 11 days in Uttar Pradesh and pass through 22 Lok Sabha constituencies.
"We certainly hope the yatra will help revive the congress in the state and will also provide a boost to the alliance prospects,” added Pande. The AICC in-charge was in Lucknow over January 30 and 31 to review preparations for the Yatra, Lok Sabha polls and the party's social media strategy.
"We have reviewed all the 80 Lok Sabha seats. We have allocated responsibilities to senior state leaders, who will man the Lok Sabha polls control room. I also met a lot of senior leaders and former Lok Sabha members,” added Pande.
The AICC functionary's comments came a day after he publicly expressed dissatisfaction over SP unilaterally announcing candidates on 16 seats, some of which were being sought by the Congress. Before that, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had unilaterally announced to give 11 seats to the Congress. Following SP’s announcements, state unit chief Ajay Rai had adopted an aggressive stance saying the coming Yatra would show who holds the ground in Uttar Pradesh.
"I had spoken about the unilateral announcement of candidates by the SP. Usually, it is done jointly after concluding seat-sharing talks. But such things do happen in an alliance. At present, the seat-sharing talks with the SP are going on and will be concluded soon. There is broad understanding to fight the coming polls together but the seat details are being worked out,” said Pande.
“The Congress-SP alliance is done," said SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav. According to party insiders, the state leaders want that the Congress should get at least 22 seats the party had won in 2009 Lok Sabha polls but the SP, which has agreed to give seven seats to the RLD, has been pointing out that seat-sharing must reflect the ground level situation.
The Congress has only one MP and two MLAs in the state against 5 MPs and 111 MLAs of the SP. Yet, the Congress has been citing its national party status during the recent rounds of seat-sharing talks with the SP. The Congress had allowed the SP to decide the RLD quota of seats.
"The Yatra will also go to Amethi and Rae Bareli, the traditional strongholds of the Gandhi family. The people are awaiting the yatra," senior state leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh told ETV Bharat.
