‘Mahagathbandhan’ Breaks Down In Madhya Pradesh: BSP Says Will Contest All 230 Assembly Seats By Itself

The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ which seems to be the Congress’ primary strategy to counter the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is seemingly unable to pass the state election test in Madhya Pradesh (MP).

MP will go to polls later this year and usually witnesses a two-party contest between the BJP and Congress. Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) however, also enjoys a sizable following. The BSP had polled 6.29 per cent of the votes in the 2013 state elections, behind the BJP’s and Congress’ 44.88 per cent and 36.48 per cent respectively, according to a report by the Deccan Herald.

Given the Mahagathbandhan victory in the recent UP by-elections, there had been talks of similar alliances across the country to counter the BJP.

However, quashing the possibility of an alliance in MP, it’s state president in MP Narmada Prasad Ahirwar was quoted as saying by PTI, "I was asked by the media that Congress leaders were saying that there are discussions underway with the BSP for an alliance for the next assembly elections. I clarified that we are not in discussions at the state level and, I think, neither at the central leadership level.”

"As things stand today, we are going to contest all 230 assembly seats. I have received no directives in this connection (alliance) from the central leadership,” he added.

The state Congress too retaliated, saying that there were no talks of an alliance anyway.

"We never named any party. The Congress only said that we would try to have an alliance with political parties with a similar ideology. We never mentioned the BSP's name,” a state Congress leader was quoted in the report.