A day after the Samajwadi Party (SP) said it had worked out an alliance with the Congress for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate, Kamal Nath, on October 16 said discussions were held with the SP, but there were some “practical issues” in forming an alliance in the State.
Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Mr. Nath said the focus of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was on national politics and the Congress had to take into consideration various local factors before teaming up with the SP in the State.
Both the Congress and the SP are part of the INDIA bloc.
“Discussions were held and are going on but ultimately, INDIA alliance is at the Central level. If it works out [here in M.P.] then great, but if it does not, its focus is on the Lok Sabha election,” Mr. Nath said on the prospects of a coalition of the Congress, the SP, and the Aam Aadmi Party in the State.
The Congress released its first list of 144 candidates for Madhya Pradesh on Sunday. Mr. Nath said the candidates for the remaining 86 seats would be announced in two or three days.
The Akhilesh Yadav-led SP has named candidates for nine seats so far, including five seats where the Congress candidates are also in the fray. SP leader Yash Bhartiya on Sunday said the party was planning to contest all 230 seats in the State.
SP spokesperson Sunil Singh Yadav said in Lucknow on Sunday that the leaders of the two parties “are in touch and things have been sorted out with regard to seat-sharing”. “We will fight together under the INDIA alliance; there will be no division of votes,” he said.
Mr. Akhilesh, during a visit to the poll-bound State last week, had also said that his party wanted to ally with the Congress to defeat the BJP.
‘Want SP’s help’
Mr. Nath said the Congress wanted the SP’s help in taking on the BJP. “We have held talks with them on various subjects and we want that the SP supports us in defeating the BJP. They are interested in this too. I thank Akhilesh Yadavji for his aim is to defeat the BJP, he himself told me that,” he said.
“But we have to see our local situation. Some complications arise in this, for example if they [the SP] agree to field our leader, the candidate refuses to contest on SP’s symbol. Now, what do we do?” he said.
“So, such situations arise and these are practical issues,” the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister added.
He, however, said no such talks were held with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati.
‘Don’t lie’
Responding to Mr. Nath’s remarks, Mr. Akhilesh said the Congress leader should reveal the “whole story”.
“If Kamal Nathji has said this then he should tell the whole story. And if we have to defeat the BJP, neither the Congress nor the SP should lie,” he said at Deoria in Uttar Pradesh.
SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said in Kannauj on Monday that discussions were going on with the Congress’ central leadership on an alliance in Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the AAP, another constituent of the INDIA bloc, has also declared candidates for 39 seats. It plans to field candidates on more seats. AAP leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, during a visit to Madhya Pradesh last week, cautioned voters against choosing the BJP or the Congress and said they “have an agreement to loot the public for five years each”.
The polls in the 230 Assembly constituencies will be held on November 17. The votes will be counted on December 3.
