“I think BJP will not return to power if seats sharing is finalised early after a proper consensus,” Banerjee said in Kolkata on Monday. BJP wins in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh were not impressive as margins were slim, she said. “BJP won more seats than Congress in Rajasthan because of split in votes. This is a victory due to division of votes. Victory is a combination of strategy, ideology and field work. Those who have been defeated, should learn a lesson and make amends. They should work for the people together. The future of all parties will be decided by the people and not by any leader or a party,” Banerjee said.
In Lucknow, Yadav said he was not disappointed by the rout in MP. The results, however, posed a question mark on SP’s ambitions to become a national party. Yadav had held several rallies and campaigned for party candidates.
Yadav reiterated the INDIA bloc formula that the strongest party in each respective state lead the alliance. After Congress failed to accommodate SP’s demands in MP, Yadav had hinted that SP would reciprocate the gesture in UP for LS polls. On Monday he said, “we have to fight the strategy that helps BJP to manage a majority.
- All
- Madhya Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Telangana
- Chhattisgarh
- Mizoram
“The rout has also upset Congress calculations in Maharashtra. AICC had formulated a plan to drive a hard bargain in the state, where it is currently the number three player in the NCP-UBT Sena alliance, during seat-sharing talks. The Congress leadership believed that it would win at least Rajasthan or MP, apart from Chhattisgarh and Telangana and would be in a superior position during seat negotiations.The Congress move was also based on feedback that neither NCP or Shiv Sena were dependable allies, given the fact that Sena was one of the oldest Hindutva ally of BJP and NCP’s hide and seek with BJP since 2014 assembly polls. “Either ally or both may offer support to a BJP-led coalition. Politics is extremely fluid, especially in our state. NCP did indirectly support the BJP government to win the trust vote, when Sena held back its support. Uddhav Thackeray too may offer support if BJP offers the Mumbai Municipal Corporation in exchange,” said a Congress leader from Maharashtra. A section in the state Congress leadership had even explored the option of going it alone in Maharashtra. However other leaders impressed AICC that taking on BJP in a triangular fight would prove disastrous.
