Mumbai: In a move that underscores deepening fissures within the INDIA bloc alliance, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced it will field candidates independently in Maharashtra.
Earlier discussions were aimed at securing 12 seats for SP within the alliance in Maharashtra, but the party opted to proceed with its own slate of candidates with no conclusive agreement in sight.
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav’s “Ekla Chalo Re” Strategy
The decision reflects SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s adoption of an “Ekla chalo re” or “Go it alone” strategy to broaden SP’s influence outside of its Uttar Pradesh stronghold, signalling a readiness to assert independence where alliances do not serve its ambitions.
In Maharashtra, SP has fielded candidates for 10 seats after Congress, leading the Maha Vikas Aghadi, did not accommodate its requests. Two of these seats were previously won by the SP and could risk vote splits. Political analyst Nomita P Kumar from the Giri Institute of Development Studies noted, “Unlike the NDA, the INDIA bloc contends with inter-party tensions rooted in overlapping voter bases and diverse political priorities.”
