The manner in which the entire opposition parties united to boycott the proceedings of the house protesting against the failure of the government to give satisfactory answers on the deterioration in law and order situation in the state has rattled the government.

The opposition leaders are also angry at the manner in which the government threatened to take action against them. The opposition held a mock session of the house and went ahead with the proceedings. Enthused by the successful demonstration of unity, the opposition parties are planning to put up a joint fight against BJP during the coming polls for the Lok Sabha elections.

Should deputy chief minister KP Maurya quit his Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency in Allahabad, BSP president Mayawati, who recently resigned from Rajya Sabha, could become the joint opposition candidate against BJP. Similarly, it is being talked about in political circles how the opposition would like to field a powerful candidate against CM Yogi Adityanath when he contests the by-election.

If the opposition parties agree to field a joint opposition candidate, it could be a new beginning for the 2019 Lok.Sabha polls to take on BJP, which is facing a tough task to retain the 73 Lok Sabha seats it won in 2014 with the help of Apna Dal.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties are also gearing up to strengthen their organisational structure and mobilise people's support. Mayawati has already announced her party’s agenda for one full year with big rally in each commissionerate on every 18th of the month. As per the programme, Mayawati with start her rally programme in Meerut on September 18 to reach out to the dalits of Saharanpur, who were victims of caste riots in recent months.

The Congress party is busy with party polls to strengthen the party organisation. Senior party leader and party spokesman Satyadeo Tripathi said that a series of rallies would be held in different parts of the state to reach out to the masses and expose the misdeeds and failures of the Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi government in the state. Tripathi said that senior leaders, including AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi, would address these rallies.

The Samajwadi Party under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav is busy in a membership drive all over the state. He is meeting with party leaders and workers on a daily basis and is getting tremendous response, which is demonstrated by the huge rush at the party headquarters here.

The party is also gearing up for a national conference in Lucknow in September, while Akhilesh Yadav will share the dais with Mayawati at the opposition Mahagathbandan rally in Patna next month.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Choudhry has declared that his party would join hands with SP, BSP and Congress to oppose BJP in UP. On the opening day of the budget session RLD under the leadership of young Jayant Choudhry had held an impressive protest dharna against the Yogi government on the issue of farmers. (IPA Service)