Perhaps the best favour the Bahujan Samaj Party can do to the Congress is withdraw some of its candidates to prevent splitting of the anti-BJP vote.After weeks of speculation of a tacit BSP-Congress electoral alliance, the BSP’s list of candidates showed more evidence of the party’s attempt at survival than of making concessions to the Congress.But that the BSP has kept an open mind on the issue is revealed by its latest move in Chhattisgarh. The party has decided to withdraw its candidate against a key minister from the Congress.Last week, the BSP had announced the name of Ambika Sahu as the candidate from the Saja Assembly segment in Durg district, but withdrew her name because she proved ‘‘ineffective’’, BSP national general secretary Narendra Kashyap said.What he did not say was that the BSP had set the stage for a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP, ensuring it did not cut into the votes of four-time Congress MLA and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rabindra Choubey and Deepak Sahu, son of Durg MP and former state BJP chief Tarachand Sahu.The BSP’s potential for harming the Congress is maximum in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Chhattisgarh and Delhi. Speculation is already rife about the BSP withdrawing two candidates in MP in favour of two Congress candidates who wield considerable clout.‘‘There was a similar situation in Jammu and Kashmir, when the Congress and PDP pulled out candidates at the eleventh hour after some quick calculations were made and an understanding reached,’’ a party worker said. The BSP is expected to do the same, even if after November 15, the last date for filing of nominations.
