Latest Politics News
SP-BSP tie up in UP: 38 seats to each, leave two for Congress and two for other allies
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati today (Saturday, Jan 12) announced an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections 2019, deciding to contest on 38 seats each, leaving two seats for the Congress and two for other allies.
The two parties have decided not to involve Congress in their battle against the BJP saying that there was no real gain in aligning with the party.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow along with Akhilesh, Mayawati said, “We have left two Lok Sabha seats for other parties. Amethi and Rae Bareli have been left for Congress.” Uttar Pradesh has total 80 Lok Sabha seats.
About Congress, Mayawati said that BSP and SP’s past experiences with the party have been a basis for leaving it out of the 2019 alliance.
“Including Congress in the alliance will hurt SP-BSP prospects as Congress’s votes do not get transferred,” she said.
Training her guns at the ruling BJP as well as Congress, Mayawati said that the policies of both these parties have been mostly the same.
“Both the parties indulged in corruption in defence deals. Congress imposed declared emergency, today there is undeclared emergency,” said the BSP supremo.
Mayawati said the SP-BSP alliance “will give sleepless nights to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah”.
Taking over from where the BSP chief stopped, SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav said, “The BJP has raked up the issue of caste in UP. People are being killed in encounters because of their caste. ”
Terming their alliance as a political revolution, Akhilesh Yadav said that the merger was necessary to bring down the soaring arrogance of the BJP.
“We have come together to rid the state and country of BJP’s religion and caste politics. This alliance was a must to destroy BJP, to defeat their arrogance. BJP can go to any extent to create differences in our workers, we must be united and counter any such tactic,” he added.
In what could be a message to his party workers, the Samajwadi Party chief further said that any insult to Mayawati would be an insult to him.
“I want to say to BJP that they should know that we (SP-BSP) are in this together. I am grateful to Mayawati for giving me equal status. They should know any insult to Mayawati is my insult,” he said.
The SP-BSP alliance comes exactly 25 years after the two parties joined hands to stop the BJP juggernaut at the height of the Ayodhya movement in 1993.
Both later formed the government with support of the Congress and Mulayam became chief minister. After around 18 months, BSP withdrew support and formed the government with support of BJP.
The two parties parted as sworn enemies, after Samajwadi workers roughed up Mayawati at a guest house in Lucknow for pulling out of their coalition government.
“For the sake of the nation, we decided to rise above the Lucknow guest house incident and again come together,” Mayawati stressed, a clarification aimed at PM Modi, who had at a recent rally in Agra scorned her for forgetting that episode while allying with the Samajwadi Party.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1547294438579{border-top-width: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #d3d3d3 !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]The Congress said it would be a mistake to underestimate the party in UP. “Nobody should underestimate the Congress with its reach, presence and support base in Uttar Pradesh. Congress is an established party in the state,” said senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad dismissed the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance saying it was a desperate effort for survival. “The SP BSP alliance is for their survival, it’s not in the interest of the country or Uttar Pradesh,” he said at media briefing on the second day of BJP’s national council meet in Delhi.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Akhilesh and Mayawati, who had been exchanging barbs of ‘Bua’ and ‘Babua’ against each other during electioneering in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, had previously come together for three Lok Sabha seats in the UP bypolls last year and won all.
“We have defeated the BJP in by-polls by coming together in the last year. The Congress even lost its deposit. This made us realise that of the SP and BSP come together, we can win against the BJP,” Mayawati said.
“This is not an alliance only to win the polls but to also represent the interests of the common people and Dalits, Muslims and other religious minorities,” said the BSP chief.
Significantly, she said this was a long-term relationship. “Ye lamba chalega (it will last long), even in the next Uttar Pradesh assembly election,” said Mayawati.
She beamed as Akhilesh Yadav, taking a question on what he thought of Mayawati as prime ministerial candidate, said: “Uttar Pradesh has given us prime ministers in the past and we will be happy to see another Prime Minister from Uttar Pradesh again.”
The SP-BSP tie-up could prove to be a deterrent for the incumbent BJP in the state. In 2014, the BJP had a vote share of 42.6 per cent – about the same as combined votes of SP and BSP – and won 71 out of 80 seats. Two other seats went to its ally Apna Dal.
The SP won five, the Congress two, and the BSP none.
In 2014, the BSP was runner-up in 34 seats, and the SP in 31.
The BJP may lose as many as 50 Lok Sabha seats in UP when the SP and BSP votes are combined.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Latest Politics News
Janata Dal (Secular) joins NDA alliance in the presence of Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda in Delhi
A day after meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda in Parliament, Janata Dal (Secular) founder and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy party joined the National Democratic Alliance on Friday in New Delhi.
A day after meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda in Parliament, Janata Dal (Secular) founder and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy party joined the National Democratic Alliance on Friday in New Delhi.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also present.
After officially joining the alliance, Kumaraswamy said this was a formal meeting. He also said that there is no confusion about seat sharing, which is going to be discussed in the coming days. Asserting that, he said right now, the important point is to win all 28 seats in Karnataka and his party will be supporting the NDA in every way.
Meanwhile, BJP President Nadda took to X, formerly Twitter and expressed his happiness over JD(S) joining the NDA alliance. Nadda said he is happy that JD(S) has decided to be the part of National Democratic Alliance. We wholeheartedly welcome them in the NDA, Nadda added.
The way Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing development work, no party will say no to joining NDA. I also welcome JD(S). Additionally, the NDA is going to come to power once again in the upcoming elections. We are going to win all Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, he claimed.
On September 21, HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy met with Amit Shah and JP Nadda in Parliament and discussed the alliance between JD(S) and the BJP in Karnataka for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The speculation arose about the alliance between JD(S) and NDA when Karnataka BJP leader BS Yediyurappa said that BJP was considering an understanding with the JD(S) ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, JD(S) was in alliance with Congress. They ran the coalition government in Karnataka when HD Kumaraswamy was the chief minister.
Latest Politics News
BJP issues showcause notice to MP Ramesh Bidhuri for anti-Muslim slurs in Lok Sabha
BSP MP Danish Ali said that when this is the condition of an elected member like him then what will be the condition of a common people.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has issued a showcause notice to Party MP Ramesh Bidhuri for anti-Muslim slurs against his Parliament colleague Danish Ali of the BSP. According to reports, the showcause has been issued on the instruction of party president J P Nadda. Earlier, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla warned Ramesh Bidhuri of strict action if such behaviour repeats.
During the discussion of Chandrayaan 3 success, Bidhuri’s remarks calling his parliament colleague a terrorist, militant etc triggered an uproar in the House with opposition leaders demanding strong action against him. Reportedly, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh apologised for Bidhuri’s behaviour.
Speaking on Bidhuri’s remarks, BSP MP Danish Ali said that when this is the condition of an elected member like him then what will be the condition of a common people. He added that he hopes that he will get justice and the Speaker will conduct an enquiry or else he will leave the Parliament with a heavy heart as this can not be tolerated.
He added that the party did not only insult him and his followers but also insulted the whole nation. He expressed that he will now see if the BJP is taking any action against Bidhuri or if he will be promoted and included in the central cabinet of ministers, adding that maybe it has become a competition among BJP leaders to make such statements not just outside but even inside Parliament.
On the other hand, Congress on Friday took strong objections to Bidhuri’s remarks in the Lok Sabha and demanded his suspension from the House. Terming the remarks as an insult to all MPs, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said the apology offered by Union minister Rajnath Singh was a mere eyewash and not sufficient. He further demanded strict action against Bidhuri. RJD MP Manoj Jha also expressed that he was saddened, but not surprised. He added that this is the truth of PM’s Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
Latest Politics News
Parliament Special Session: Om Birla cautions MP Ramesh Bidhuri for anti-Muslim slurs, Rajnath Singh apologises
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh underlined that the language should not be used inside or outside the Parliament, adding that he had never heard such a statement.
During the proceedings of Parliament Special Session, Lok Sabha MP Ramesh Bidhuri reportedly used anti-Muslim slurs against his Parliament colleague Danish Ali of the BSP. Taking cognizance of the matter, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla cautioned the BJP member for his remarks in the House, adding that strict action would be taken against him if he repeats such behaviour in future.
Reports state that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh immediately apologised after Bidhuri made the remarks. He apologised to the House as the deputy leader and ensured smooth functioning of the proceedings. According to reports, Ramesh Bhidhuri termed Danish Ali, a militant, terrorist and shouted: throw this mullah out.
Speaking on the incident, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh asserted that what Ramesh Bidhuri said about Danish Ali is highly condemnable. He added that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has apologised but that is insufficient. The congress MP underlined that the language should not be used inside or outside the Parliament, adding that he had never heard such a statement.
Jairam Ramesh further claimed that the incident is not only an insult to Danish Ali but also an insult to all of them. He voiced that the beginning of the new Parliament has been done by Bidhuri and his words and that this shows the intent of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He added that he thinks the matter is a case for suspension and strictest punishment should be taken against him.
In addition, RJD MP Manoj Jha expressed that he was saddened, but not surprised. He added that this is the truth of PM’s Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He noted that they need to think that if such words were used for an MP in Parliament, then what kind of language against Muslims, Dalits legitimacy has been given. He added that yet the Prime Minister could not say a word on Ramesh Bidhuri.
