(FE)
Calling their gathbandhan an “alliance for change” in their first joint rally since finalising the tie-up last year, BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday described the BJP and the Congress as two sides of the same coin — and cautioned voters, “particularly Muslims”, against splitting their votes in the eight western UP seats that go to polls in the first phase on April 11. However, the other alliance leader, RLD’s Ajit Singh, refrained from attacking the Congress, which has not fielded candidates against him and his son, Jayant Chaudhary.
While the three leaders criticised the BJP’s national security policy and asked why soldiers were “still dying” at the border, Akhilesh and Mayawati questioned the Congress’s intentions in contesting against the gathbandhan across Uttar Pradesh. Signalling that they are concerned about a split in votes, Mayawati and Akhilesh underscored the importance of Muslims choosing the gathbandhan instead of the Congress. “If the BJP has to be dealt a body blow, the gathbandhan is the only choice. The Congress is not strong enough to take on the BJP and I want to tell all of you, particularly Muslims, that a vote for the Congress here will only help the BJP. Do not split your votes,” Mayawati said.
Muslims, along with Dalits and a section of Jats in western UP, form the backbone of the gathbandhan’s support in these Lok Sabha elections, which also explains the choice of Deoband as the venue for the first alliance rally. “Thousands come to Deoband to pray at the ancient Devi temple and on the other side is the Darul Uloom. This city is as historic as this coming election will be,” Akhilesh said.
