Bua-Babua will finish off fighting among themselves before 2019 elections: Uttar Pradesh Minister Swami Prasad Maurya

NEW DELHI: The coming together of two arch-rivals - Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) - is not based on issues, claimed a Uttar Pradesh minister on Sunday. Minister Swami Prasad Maurya further said that BSP chief Mayawati and SP's Akhilesh Yadav will soon finish off with fighting among themselves.

"Bua and Babua (Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) will finish off with fighting among themselves. This isn't an alliance based on issues. An issue-less alliance never works. They will finish off before the election (2019) comes," said UP Minister Swami Prasad Maurya.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is, however, confident of the coalition and agreed to compromise with the number of seats belonging to his party. "Our alliance with BSP will continue, in 2019 even if we have to give up a few seats we will do it. We have to ensure BJP is defeated: Akhilesh Yadav,SP

The coalition is said to pose a big challenge for the ruling government at the Centre in the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Last month, BJP chief Amit Shah also acknowledged that the BSP-SP alliance will be a challenge for his party in the 2019 elections. He, however, asserted that the BJP will defeat the Congress either in Amethi or Rae Bareli.

Shah made these remarks while referring to questions pertaining to the fourth anniversary of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Ahead of the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP and the SP had formed an unprecedented alliance to bring down the saffron power in the two Lok Sabha constituencies. 

The BSP and SP entered into an arrangement wherein the former supported the latter's candidate for the bypolls. The BSP did not field any candidate for the seats and vowed to work to defeat the BJP.

As per the arrangement, in return for the support in Lok Sabha, the SP will be backing the BSP candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypolls. ''We have spoken to SP and have decided that we will support their Lok Sabha candidate during the voting and SP will support our Rajya Sabha candidate in return," BSP supremo Mayawati had said ahead of the bypolls.

The BSP, SP and Congress can send two candidates to the Rajya Sabha from UP as per their current strength in the Lok Sabha. BSP has 19 seats, SP 47 and Congress six. After the SP ensures that one of its candidates makes it to the Upper House, the party will be left with a surplus of 13-14 votes, which adding to BSP’s could make sure of Mayawati’s Parliamentary re-entry.