The Congress, despite all the hype created by the AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi over the agitation of the farmers, is still not seen as an alternative to the BSP in Uttar Pradesh while the BJP which was in the commanding position in the state politics for a large number of years, is facing serious identity crisis in the state. The BJP is in fact fighting for the third position since there is now a threat from the Congress to unseat the saffron party from its present position in the state assembly.

Under such circumstances, SP has emerged as the real alternative to the BSP. As a a result, the disgruntled BSP leaders are making a beeline to join the SP since they feel that the anti-incumbency factor is working against the BSP and the chief minister has made a mess in the state administration alienating a large section of her support base including the dalits and Muslims.

There is a realization in BSP legislators that the party would not return to power in view of large scale corruption, indictment of Mayawati government by Supreme Court and Allahabad High Court on land acquisition, resentment in farmers and series of murders of CMOs and bungling in central schemes like National Rural Health Mission.

Initiative was taken by BSP MLA from Masauli in Barabanki Fareed Mehfooz Kidwai who left the party and joined Samajwadi Party. Listing reasons for quitting the party, Fareed said that he was feeling suffocation in BSP as he was not able to meet chief minister Mayawati nor he could get any work done for his assembly constituency. Fareed said majority of BSP MLAs shared his views and were finding it difficult to face their electorates as bureaucrats were not listening to their problems following directive from top brass of the party and the government.

Chief Minister Mayawati got yet another shock when party MLA of Jalapur in Ambedkar Nagar, Sher Bahadur also left the party and joined SP. Earlier, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and former MLA Rajiv Channa from Moradabad along with his supporters joined the Samajwadi Party. Block pramukh from Bijnore Abrar Ahmed and BSP leaders Ashwini Mishra and Rajiv Shukla from Mohanlalganj also joined the party in the presence of the opposition leader Shivpal Singh Yadav and party's state president Akhilesh Yadav.

Welcoming the leaders, Mr Shivpal Yadav said that corruption in the Mayawati government was forcing the BSP leaders to leave the party and join the SP. Samajwadi party received shot in arms when former advocate general Mr SMA Kazmi returned to party after quitting BSP. Mr Kazmi was made chairman of Minorities Commission by Mayawati government.

Complimenting SP national president Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mr Kazmi said party had done a lot for minorities and he had to quit the party when party joined hands with Kalyan Singh who was instrumental for demolition of Babri mosque. Kazmi said when SP had severed relations with Kalyan Singh, then he had to return to Samajwadi Party.

Talking about BSP, Mr Kazmi said that there was no respect for Muslims leaders in the party who were treated like bonded leaders.

Chief Minister Mayawati was embarrassed when brother of Nasimuddin Siddiqui most powerful minister and virtually number two in the government holding maximum number of departments after her, met Samajwadi Party state president Akhilesh Yadav recently. The meeting between Nasimuddin Siddiqui’s brother with SP state president has given credence to speculations that very senior people from BSP may join SP after the announcement of the polls.

In the month of February also BSP had received shock when younger brother of party MP Brijesh Pathak, Rajesh had joined Samajwadi Party in Gorakhpur convention. But following pressure on Brijesh Pathak from Chief Minister Mayawati, Rajesh was asked to quit SP and return to BSP.

The state headquarters of Samajwadi party is witnessing virtually mela everyday when people are knocking at the doors of SP leaders to join the party which had unnerved BSP, BJP, and Congress. (IPA)