‘Foes’ SP And BSP Agree, In-Principle, To Ally For 2019 Lok Sabha Polls; Formal Announcement By End Of The Month 

The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have agreed on allying for the Lok Sabha elections. A formal announcement, however, is likely to come out later this month says SP’s national spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary.

“There has been an in-principle approval for the gathbandhan. And there is a possibility that an announcement in this regard will be made this month,” Chaudhary was quoted by Indian Express as saying.

Furthermore, Chaudhary added that there had been several meetings between Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati and they plan to accommodate some smaller parties in the alliance such as Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) which is palpable in Western Uttar Pradesh. When asked if they will form an alliance with Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the spokesperson said Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati would ‘decide’ on that.

However, SP and BSP wouldn’t be fielding candidates in Amethi and Raebareli, making it easier for Congress president Rahul Gandhi and United Progress Alliance (UPA) chief Sonia Gandhi.