Maya may not pit BSP nominees against Gandhis in 2019 polls

LUCKNOW: While the BJP is making a determined bid to snatch the Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh from the NehruGandhi family, the BSP leadership is mulling whether to follow the strategy of the Samajwadi Party (SP), its likely ally in the 2019 polls, by not fielding any candidate in these two constituencies in next year’s elections.

BSP chief Mayawati’s close confidantes said that the party may make such a move in order to stop division of votes and ensure direct one-to-one contests against the BJP, says a report in the Times of India website. The SP has not been fielding candidates in Amethi since the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and in Rae Bareli since 2009.

“One cannot rule out chances of our party staying away from Amethi and Rae Bareli if the alliance with SP materializes,” said a senior BSP leader. “In doing so, the party may well be able to transfer its votes to Congress,” he added.

Though the BJP swept Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 general election, the BJP lost both Rae Bareli and Amethi to the Congress. Barring three exceptions -- 1977, 1996 and 1998 -- Rae Bareli has stood with the Congress since 1952.

This time the BJP is out to test Rae Bareli’s love for the Nehru-gandhi family currently represented by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, a four-term MP. Amethi is represented in Parliament by Congress president Rahul Gandhi.