Even as exit poll surveys have predicted a return of the Modi-led NDA Government, BSP chief Mayawati is likely to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday following efforts by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu to ensure an Opposition alliance dispensation at the Centre. Naidu on Sunday held a second round of talks with top Opposition leaders, including Rahul, Sonia and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Mayawati’s meeting with the Congress leadership is seen as a significant outreach and breaking of ice after the BSP chief carried out an acrimonious campaign that was unsparing of the Congress and even kept it out of the Mahagathbandhan in UP.
Sources said Mayawati, who nurtures prime ministerial ambitions and has made no bones about the fact, is said to have agreed to meet the Congress leadership to ensure that an Opposition alliance must come to power anyhow. At the same time, she knows her PM ambitions can’t be fulfilled without the Congress’ help, sources added. Naidu is the ‘chief facilitator’ of the Mayawati-Sonia meeting.
Mayawati recently said all the votes of the alliance would go to the Congress in Amethi and Raebareli, the constituencies of Rahul and Sonia.
Mayawati’s meeting with the Congress is part of the series of meetings among Opposition parties lined up ahead of the Lok Sabha results on Thursday. The last time Mayawati had exchanged greetings with the Congress leadership was during the oath ceremony of JD(S)-Congress coalition Government led by HD Kumaraswamy in Karnataka.
But thereafter the Congress and the BSP failed to agree on seat-sharing for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections leading Mayawati to vent her anger on the grand old party which formed the Government. Mayawati then joined hands with her rival Samajwadi Party but kept out the Congress.
Naidu’s meeting with Sonia assumes importance as the latter held an internal meeting with top Congress leaders on Saturday evening to assess the party’s process and strategy to stake claim for Government formation in case of a hung verdict on May 23 when the results will be announced.
Sources said Naidu has assessed that the NDA cannot get more than 200 seats and thus has reportedly urged the Congress leadership to prepare for the possibility of the BJP-led NDA ending up with fewer seats than it anticipates, giving the Opposition a window.
Sonia, who remains the UPA chairperson even after handing charge of the Congress to her son, has taken the lead for an Opposition meeting on the day of the results, for which invites have already been sent out.
Naidu had on Saturday also held talks with several Opposition leaders, including Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav in the national Capital and with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati in Lucknow.
Naidu met Rahul and Pawar for the second consecutive day on Sunday morning, followed by a meeting with Sonia in the evening. He also held a separate meeting with CPI(M) general secretary Yechury and discussed the possibility of all Opposition parties getting together.
Naidu has also held several rounds of discussion with various Opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. Naidu’s TDP was part of the NDA, but quit the alliance a few months ago.
