Team News Riveting
Lucknow, October 22
As the picture from the plane showing Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav exchanging pleasantries went viral, rumour mills started circulating the speculation of possible alliance between the two parties in the ensuing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
“We must meet soon,” the chat between the two leaders was enough for the political corridor to read between the lines. However, they failed to realise many equations that would come in its way even if Priyanka and Akhilesh wish to take on BJP jointly.
Akhilesh Yadav had gone to New Delhi to meet Mulayam Singh Yadav and was returning to Lucknow. Priyanka was also coming to the Uttar Pradesh capital as she was scheduled to flag off a party rally on Saturday.
It was merely a coincidence that the two leaders took the Vistara flight to Lucknow from New Delhi. The photo that went viral only shows the two leaders exchanging banters while boarding. The two had not occupied the neighbouring seats so as to discuss politics up in the sky. While encountering each other, they just said they “need” to meet soon.
Political pundits however refused any possibility of alliance between the Congress and the SP. Yadav has vehemently denied any tie up with Congress or any other national party.
Secondly, Congress sees SP as its rival in UP. During the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Priyanka has lashed out at SP and said it has failed to put a strong resistance against the BJP government on the ground.
Akhilesh took a dig at the Congress and quipped, “Those sitting inside the room will never know the ground reality.”
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) that is desperate to expand its footprint in UP will play spoilsport if at all Congress and SP reach any understanding. For, TMC will never want SP joining hand with Congress. Even if there is any chance of any alliance, TMC will prefer to work with SP minus Congress.
