New Delhi: At a time when the critical Assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh are approaching, the Congress party has faced another huge setback as one of its tallest leaders in the state, Imran Masood, is all set to join Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party.
On one side, Congress has exuded confidence claiming that no Government can be formed in Uttar Pradesh without its support, the former MLA Imran Masood has said that it is just a fight between BJP and SP in Uttar Pradesh and it is only Akhilesh Yadav who can defeat CM Yogi Adityanath.
However, the Congress leaders are still of the view that his exit is not going to make much impact on the Congress' performance but it is definitely not a good sign for the party in view of the upcoming polls.
"What is his ability?? His exit won't make any impact on the party's performance? He had no base. Even if he gets a ticket from Saharanpur, just a small section of people will change their sides by voting for SP, not for Congress," a state Congress leader replied to ETV Bharat.
While another Congress leader, who is also a close aide of Masood, expressed his disappointment over his decision, claiming that he had received a lot of affection and respect from the party and also had a very good communication level with the Gandhis. "He must have been enviable," the Congress leader replied.
Imran Masood, who had been very vocal about his views and opinions, had said to ETV Bharat in October that if Congress wants to defeat BJP in Uttar Pradesh then it should get into an alliance with Samajwadi Party.
"How long we will be relying on alliances? At some point, we have to stand on our own feet. We have been entering into an alliance for decades but it has not given any kind of dividends to the party. Giving suggestions is our right, but it is a prerogative of party high command to decide," a party insider said.
It is also being informed that Imran Masood was not in favor of the party's decision to give 40% tickets to the women candidates in Uttar Pradesh and he had also expressed his concern before the party's General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Earlier, Masood had won in 2007 assembly elections as an Independent. Then contested 2012 polls on a Congress ticket but lost and later joined the Samajwadi Party in 2013. However, he returned to Congress the very next year and contested in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Saharanpur but lost in both.
But looking at the larger aspect, the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are more crucial as its outcome could shape larger Opposition politics in the run-up to 2024 general elections. These elections will emerge as a challenge for Congress to stay in the reckoning in Uttar Pradesh politics as well as to remain as the prime opposition party against BJP in the country.
Also Read: 6 Samajwadi Party corporators join Congress in Uttar Pradesh
