BSP may emerge king maker in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab

NEW DELHI: In high Octane battle between the Congress and AAP in Punjab, SP and BJP in Uttar Pradesh, it is the Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which may emerge as king maker in both the states as the party may gain significance in case of hung assemblies in these states. Sources say that all the parties in these states are looking to the potential winners from the BSP.

The BSP contested alone in UP, and in alliance with the Akali Dal in Punjab, where the contest had been neck and neck between AAP and the Congress. However, in UP after five phases of polling, it's not yet clear who will win the state as every seat has different equations and in case of a triangular contest, the BSP may have the upper hand.

The BSP is contesting around 20 seats in Punjab and is likely to emerge as king maker in an event of a hung assembly. The state, however, had given clear mandate from 2007 to 2017.

In UP, BJP swept the polls in 2017 and in 2012 it was the SP which got absolute majority and before that in 2007, it was the BSP. Before that, from 1993 to 2007, there were coalition governments run by BJP — Kalyan Singh, Ram Prakash Gupta and Rajnath Singh as Chief Ministers supported by the BSP and later by rebels. BSP Chief Mayawati also ran government with the support of BJP while Mulayam Singh Yadav became the Chief Minister with the help of BSP and the Congress.

The Bahujan Samaj Party has been claiming that it is set to perform better than 2007 when it formed a majority government on its own. "The result will be shocking to the opposition because they have been underestimating us. BSP, this time, will again form a a majority government. The BSP always had 22 per cent vote share even in the worst condition of 2017 elections. When 14 per cent Brahmins add up to it, it is sure to form the government," BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra had said during the run up to the elections.

But claims apart, the real fight seems to be between SP and the ruling BJP this time and only in a triangular fight, the BSP has some chance and in some seats Congress may win. The Congress has been saying that there will be no government without them but the real picture will be known only on March 10. (IANS)

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