Akhilesh skips INDIA bloc meet. Is SP chief sending a message to Congress?
Top leaders of the INDIA bloc are meeting in Delhi on Wednesday to finalise an action plan for a joint agitation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and to press for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. But one prominent name is missing from the meeting -- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who has been at the forefront of the Opposition's attack on the SIR exercise.
Yadav's absence assumes significance on multiple fronts. The INDIA bloc is mounting one of its strongest attacks against the government and seeking to present a united front, while the meeting comes less than six months before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Akhilesh is not only skipping the meeting called by the Congress, but has also chosen not to send his second-in-command or any of the party's prominent leaders. Instead, the SP chief has sent party representatives Mohibullah Nadvi and Harendra Malik to the Opposition meeting.
The question, therefore, is whether Akhilesh is signalling his displeasure with the Congress and sending a message to the wider Opposition.
Political circles believe Akhilesh has chosen this route to express his unhappiness with the Congress over recent remarks by party leaders on the alliance and seat-sharing arrangements in Uttar Pradesh. SP sources have indicated that the party chief is particularly upset with statements made by Congress MP Imran Masood and the party's Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam.
Gautam has said the Congress will contest at least 150 seats in Uttar Pradesh and is also preparing for all 403 seats. The SP, however, is ready to offer only around 80-90 seats to the Congress. The party is also unwilling to part with seats such as Rae Bareli and Amethi.
"We need equal seats, equal rights and equal respect," Gautam said, adding that discussions on the alliance and seat-sharing would begin soon.
Masood, while commenting directly on Akhilesh, said that staying away would be "his loss" and that the SP chief needed to keep a "bigger heart" to lead the alliance.
The SP has sought to play down the apparent differences. However, Akhilesh is understood to view the Congress remarks as a pressure tactic over seat-sharing and is upset with the statements. His decision to stay away from Wednesdayβs crucial INDIA bloc meeting is being seen in this context.
The SP has said Akhilesh will be unable to attend because of the filing of nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. However, according to party sources, Akhilesh deliberately chose Wednesday, the same day as the INDIA bloc meeting, for Ram Gopal Yadavβs nomination, ensuring that he could not attend the Opposition gathering.
Significantly, none of the other senior leaders, like Ram Gopal Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav or Dimple Yadav have been sent to represent Akhilesh at the meeting. Instead, the SP has deputed Mohibullah Nadvi and Harendra Malik.
Ram Gopal Yadav was scheduled to file his nomination in the morning, while Akhilesh Yadav was expected to file the nominations for the remaining candidates later in the day.
Had Akhilesh wanted to attend the INDIA bloc meeting, he could have completed the nomination process for all three candidates together or sent Ram Gopal Yadav to represent the party. Instead, on the day of a crucial Opposition meeting, the SP chief has chosen to keep himself and the party's prominent leaders away.
The Congress, meanwhile, has sought to play down any differences. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said he had spoken to Akhilesh and that the Rajya Sabha nomination process was the only reason for his absence.
"I spoke to Akhilesh Yadav. All the Congress presidents also spoke to him. He has a Rajya Sabha nomination filing tomorrow (Wednesday) and therefore cannot attend in person. He is trying to join. The filing of nomination papers is scheduled for tomorrow in Uttar Pradesh. That is why he is not attending. Leaders from his party are attending," Venugopal said on Tuesday.
However, political observers point to the timing of the nomination process and Akhilesh's absence as an indication of the unease within the alliance. With Congress leaders publicly speaking about the number of seats the party wants to contest in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh is under pressure over seat-sharing and is understood to be unhappy with the remarks.
His decision to stay away from the INDIA bloc meeting, therefore, comes at a time when the Opposition is seeking to project unity against the government on the SIR issue.
The SP is not the only party absent from the meeting. The DMK and the AAP are also not attending. Both parties have political differences with the Congress and have sparred with the party publicly.- Ends
