A meeting between senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday has strengthened speculation of a ‘grand alliance’ in Uttar Pradesh, where State elections will be held early next year.

Congress MLAs from the State had also requested Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to forge a ‘secular alliance’ by talking to smaller parties such as the JD(U) and Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal.

Nitish keen on alliance There were also indications that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar — who heads a coalition ‘Mahagatbandhan’ government of his JD(U), Lalu Prasad’s RJD and the Congress — was himself taking the initiative to forge such an alliance.

A section in the Congress believes that, on its own, the party can win not more than 20 seats. “The need is to form an alliance with other like-minded parties. Efforts should start now. Otherwise BJP can easily win,” a Congress leader said.

NDA ally Apna Dal, which is riven by differences between its chief Krishna Patel and her daughter and Union Minister Anupriya Patel, is also reportedly keen to join the alliance. Krishna Patel is also believed to have held discussions with with Nitish Kumar on the matter. Efforts will be to consolidate Kurmi votes in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

SP, BSP plan to go solo Though the Congress has already announced its chief ministerial candidate and hit the campaign trail, leaders of smaller parties are also trying to explore the possibilities of a “grand alliance” with the incumbent Samajwadi Party. The SP, however, has been indifferent.

So is the Opposition BSP, which believes it has a strong chance to come back to power with the SP appearing a divided house and the BJP lacking a chief ministerial face.

BSP supremo Mayawati has been trying to create a Dalit-Muslim unity by weaning away the Muslim votefrom SP.

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