Former SP leader Beni Prasad Verma’s announcement of allegiance to the Congress in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh has come as a surprise gift for the party.

In one stroke, Verma has transferred all-powerful Kurmi votes to the Congress, which the latter failed to get after the BJP, pipped it to forge an alliance with yet another Kurmi party, the Sonelal Patel-led Apna Dal.

Speaking to The Indian Express from Kanpur, where he is campaigning with alliance partner Udit Raj of the National Justice Party (NJP), Verma said, “We are not in alliance with the Congress but our party has decided to support the Congress wherever we do not have a candidate. We have not spoken to the Congress yet, but we hope the party will respond.”

Verma was referring to his fortnight-old Samajwadi Kranti Dal (SKD), which he formed after his former leader, UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, refused to give tickets to his hand-picked candidates for the elections. The SKD swiftly moved to tie up with the NJP and the NCP. However, the party could not meet the Election Commission deadlines and, therefore, it does not have a symbol nor enough candidates to contest the poll.

“We are fighting under the NJP symbol, but if our aim is to end the Goonda Raj of the present government, we have to ensure its defeat by having strategic alliances. The people of UP have led the freedom struggle, and even if they are poor, hungry and dispossessed, they are politically conscious. I have faith they will vote this government out,” Verma said.

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