Cong-Maya honeymoon over, party may woo SP

Kanpur: The Congress is searching for friends in UP and making it clear who its enemy is.

A two-day convention of the UP Congress in Kanpur on Sunday adopted a resolution which lashed out at the state BSP government and accused it of promoting corruption, lawlessness, caste-based politics and shielding criminals.

The Congress’ attack after it relations with BSP chief and UP Chief Minister Mayawati have soured in recent times. "To expect transparency and corruption-free administration from the present BSP government is useless. Going by the past record of the present Chief Minister, it is very much clear how importance was given to corruption in the state. No department is free from corruption," said the resolution passed at the convention of the UP Congress Working Committee.

The resolution said the "Supreme Court is keeping an eye on " the accused in the multi-crore Taj Heritage Corridor scam—a reference to Mayawati, who is under probe in the case.

The resolution blamed the SP for "the goonda raj (lawlessness) prevailing under its rule in the state", but Congress leader Digvijay Singh dropped a hint when he said: "we are open to alliance with any one who keeps the communal forces at bay in the country.”

Asked whether the Congress wanted an alliance with the SP in the Lok Sabha polls, Singh said: "SP has been able to contain the communal forces in UP. Credit must be given to SP that they have been able to contain the BJP in UP to a great extent.

Pallavi Ghosh, CNN-IBN’s Chief Political Correspondent, says the Congress has decided that it needs to make new friends in UP before the General Elections next year.

The Congress has softened its attitude towards SP leaders Mulayam Singh and Amar Singh. The Central government recently rejected Mayawati’s plea that the Central Bureau of Investigation probe charges against Mulayam.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sent a condolence letter to Amar on the death of his father. The SP leader responded by telling the media that he had nothing personal against the Gandhi family or the Congress.

These developments indicate that a Congress-SP alliance is on the cards, says Ghosh.