SP, BSP Compete to Extend Support to UPA

In what could be termed as a fight to extend support to an alliance which was instructed to stay within limits till the people’s verdict was not out, the two staunch political rivals in Uttar Pradesh the BSP and the SP are pushing hard to be considered for accepting the backing of their MPs, that too, unconditional. At the same time, both parties claimed to have been asked by the PM Manmohan Singh for the support.

UP Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati said that Singh had sought her help to form a secular government.

“We want to fight communal forces,” she said.

On the other hand, SP general secretary Amar Singh who earlier in the day visited Rashtrapati Bhavan , flayed Mayawati’s offer as an opportunistic step.

“SP does not believe in political opportunism. We have given the letter of support to the President .We will be supporting the UPA government,” he said. Even Amar Singh claimed that Manmohan Singh had called asking for the SP’s support.

It may be mentioned that the BSP has 21 MPs in the Lok Sabha and was one of the biggest disappointments of the elections, as it was expected to win 30 plus seats. The SP has 23 seats.

Mayawati’s offer is dramatic and unexpected given that on the eve of the election results, she had pledged her support to the Third Front.

However, after near obliteration of the Third Front in elections, Mayawati, falling short of its own expectations in UP, is on a damage control mission.

During the campaign, both the Congress and the BSP had been scathing in their attacks on each and it seemed that there could be no meeting point even as the Congress was on a hunt for allies.

With allies and foes falling over each other to support the UPA, the BSP becomes the latest party to do so.