09-16-2007, 09:12 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Congress eyeing tie-up with arch-rivals </b>
Amidst speculation about mid-term polls, the Congress appears to be examining the possibility of expanding the UPA by taking even arch-rivals Samajwadi Party and BSP on board.
Uttar Pradesh PCC president Salman Khurshid insists that the approach to face future challenges is to take forward the spirit that brought the party to the centrestage via the coalition route.
Making a strong pitch for pre-poll alliances, Khurshid said that in the matter of tie-ups, the approach should be one of "planned parenthood instead of chance parenthood."
Suggesting that the doors of the alliance were open to parties of all hues apart from the saffron brigade that will be in the "negative list" of Congress.
In an interview to PTI, Khurshid sought to extend the olive branch to the Samajwadi Party, saying the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party "became allergic to us and we were never allergic to them."
Seeking to go the extra mile to woo the Mayawati-led BSP, he said that party could be a "very valued passenger" in the "big train that is going to travel fast with a powerful engine."
"They have to decide whether they want to board the train," he said, referring to BSP, whose victory in Uttar Pradesh polls is being regarded as a defining moment in Indian politics.
Khurshid's constraint is that there could be differences with these parties on specific issues, but not on basic ideology. There has been no fixed formula for an alliance but this could be evolved through a dialogue, he said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My Take: If congress succeeds then they will be back to power. Especially if they take BSP as pre-poll alliance then it is going to help congress big time. There are many states like AP, Maharastra etc where dalits are solidly in the camp of Congress and would help the vote bank to stay intact. In states like MP, Rajastan they will be now UPA and not just BSP.
Regarding SP also they will consolidate the Muslim vote into UPA which I don't think any useful for congress beyond UP but UP is too big.
Regarding Laloo, I can gaurantee no matter whether Ram exists or not, they will stayput with UPA as they see chance of returning back in Bihar are bleak.
Regarding NDA, trying for either BSP or SP might not have the same effect as compared to that of congress. NDA should try NCP, SS and BJP combo in Maharastra and that would be lethal.
Amidst speculation about mid-term polls, the Congress appears to be examining the possibility of expanding the UPA by taking even arch-rivals Samajwadi Party and BSP on board.
Uttar Pradesh PCC president Salman Khurshid insists that the approach to face future challenges is to take forward the spirit that brought the party to the centrestage via the coalition route.
Making a strong pitch for pre-poll alliances, Khurshid said that in the matter of tie-ups, the approach should be one of "planned parenthood instead of chance parenthood."
Suggesting that the doors of the alliance were open to parties of all hues apart from the saffron brigade that will be in the "negative list" of Congress.
In an interview to PTI, Khurshid sought to extend the olive branch to the Samajwadi Party, saying the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party "became allergic to us and we were never allergic to them."
Seeking to go the extra mile to woo the Mayawati-led BSP, he said that party could be a "very valued passenger" in the "big train that is going to travel fast with a powerful engine."
"They have to decide whether they want to board the train," he said, referring to BSP, whose victory in Uttar Pradesh polls is being regarded as a defining moment in Indian politics.
Khurshid's constraint is that there could be differences with these parties on specific issues, but not on basic ideology. There has been no fixed formula for an alliance but this could be evolved through a dialogue, he said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My Take: If congress succeeds then they will be back to power. Especially if they take BSP as pre-poll alliance then it is going to help congress big time. There are many states like AP, Maharastra etc where dalits are solidly in the camp of Congress and would help the vote bank to stay intact. In states like MP, Rajastan they will be now UPA and not just BSP.
Regarding SP also they will consolidate the Muslim vote into UPA which I don't think any useful for congress beyond UP but UP is too big.
Regarding Laloo, I can gaurantee no matter whether Ram exists or not, they will stayput with UPA as they see chance of returning back in Bihar are bleak.
Regarding NDA, trying for either BSP or SP might not have the same effect as compared to that of congress. NDA should try NCP, SS and BJP combo in Maharastra and that would be lethal.