Elections 2019: SP Ties up With Nishad Party, 2 Others

New Delhi: After Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), two more smaller political parties formed an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), party supremo Akhilesh Yadav announced in a joint press conference in Lucknow on Tuesday.

The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh said that Nishad Party and Janwadi Party (Socialist) will be part of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) for the upcoming Lok Sabha election in UP, which has 80 seats and goes to polls on April 11. Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Samanta Dal also extended its support to the alliance. 

Nishad Party Impact in Gorakhpur Bypoll

The Nishad community is the second largest demographic group in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Sanjay Nishad is the president of the NISHAD (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal) Party, which represents the dominant boating community of Gorakhpur, the constituency that has elected CM Yogi Adityanath as its MP for years. In 2018, the party played a key role in the Opposition’s success in the Gorakhpur by-elections when  Praveen Kumar Nishad, son of Sanjay Nishad, defeated Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Upendra Dutt Shukla by 21,881 votes. 

Commenting on the alliance with SP-BSP, Praveen Kumar Nishad told Newsclick, "The Modi government at the Centre and Yogi Adityanath in the state has betrayed the Nishad community. The duo promised many things but nothing has been done. By joining hands with SP, we are going to repeat history, like we did in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana."

80 Lok Sabha Seats In Uttar Pradesh 

As per the current seat sharing arrangement, SP, BSP and RLD are in  alliance in which SP will contest on 37 seats, BSP on 38 and RLD on three seats. The alliance had decided not to contest two seats, Rai Bareli and Amethi. Now, after an alliance with Nishad Party, it will be interesting to see which seat the SP-BSP alliance will leave for Nishad Party. 

Sanjay Singh Chauhan, leader of the Janwadi Party (Socialist), told reporters that it was joining the SP-BSP alliance to together defeat BJP and its anti-people policies in the state. The party reportedly has a stronghold among the Chauhan Community in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. 

Other Alliances

Last week, Mahan Dal, Babu Singh Kushwaha’s Jan Adhikar Party and Krishna Patel-led faction of the Apna Dal offered to ally with the Congress.

Meanwhile, BJP ally Om Prakash Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has threatened to leave the alliance if the BJP does not announce how many seats his party gets. Rajbhar had also written to the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in February offering to resign from the backward class welfare department expressing disappointment that his recommendations on the appointment of state backward castes panel members were ignored. 

Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) also claimed support of Apna Dal faction led by Krishna Patel and has announced a pact with Mohamed Ayub-led Peace Party. 

Also Read: Elections 2019: Smaller Parties Can Play Big Role in UP