Chhattisgarh PCC president Bhupesh Baghel told THE WEEK that the announcement of an alliance between the BSP and former chief minister Ajit Jogi's party for the coming assembly elections in the state was a sudden development, which took place even as Mayawati's party was in talks with the Congress for a seat-sharing arrangement.
Baghel claimed that Mayawati allied with Jogi's Chhattisgarh Janata Congress under pressure from the BJP. He said that while an alliance with the BSP would have benefited the Congress in the elections, his party would still win as the people of the state have made up their minds about ousting the Raman Singh government.
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The Congress was in talks with the BSP for an alliance. But it has announced a tie-up with Ajit Jogi.
The state leadership of the BSP had come to me and proposed an alliance, saying there was a need to defeat the BJP and keep at bay forces that are trying to destroy the Constitution that was drafted by B.R. Ambedkar. However, by announcing a tie-up with Ajit Jogi, the BSP has once again proved that it has always helped the BJP.
So, the proposal for an alliance came from the BSP?
At the state level, yes, they approached us to form an alliance. I cannot comment on what transpired at the Central level.
What went wrong in the talks between the Congress and the BSP?
Talks were on. Since the BSP has one legislator at present in the Chhattisgarh assembly, we suggested that they can contest from four or five more seats. I had a meeting with the state leadership eight to 10 days back. And we were supposed to meet again in two or three days. I was planning to make a phone call and decide on when to meet, and suddenly this alliance between the BSP and Ajit Jogi's party was announced.
Were you taken by surprise?
When the BSP said it wanted to ally with us, it said it did not want the anti-BJP votes to get split and that the opposition should be together. Mayawati has had a track record of helping the BJP. So, when this proposal came from the BSP, we said 'Good, this time, they are doing the right thing'. However, given the manner in which Mayawati announced this alliance with Ajit Jogi, it is clear that the BJP has arm-twisted her into doing it by using the cases filed against her.
How will this alliance impact the prospects of the Congress since the difference in the vote share between your party and the BJP was less than one per cent in the previous assembly elections?
It is true that an alliance with the BSP would have benefited the Congress. However, we are confident that we will win the election as the people of the state have made up their minds about ousting the Raman Singh government.