'Unease' in SP, BSP over Rahul's projection as PM face

Congress' decision to project Rahul Gandhi as the PM ''face'' if it emerged as the largest party (in the possible grand alliance) in the next Lok Sabha polls in 2019 has triggered ''unease'' in the Samajwadi Party (SP) and BSP.

The two main regional players in Uttar Pradesh, who have declared that they will contest the next LS polls in alliance, on Monday dropped hints that the Congress' decision did not reflect the ''views of the alliance'' and that the PM face issue was ''open''.

''It may be Congress' decision....our leader has already made it clear that the issue will be decided after the polls,'' said a senior SP leader while speaking to Deccan Herald here.

BSP leaders also reacted cautiously on the Congress' decision and said that party supremo Mayawati would take a call on the issue at the appropriate time.

According to the sources in the SP and BSP, the proposed grand alliance in UP was likely to include the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) but the inclusion of the Congress was not yet certain.

UP Congress leaders have also said that they are ready to contest alone in the 2019 polls.

At a recent meeting of the BSP workers here, the party leaders, including its state president R.S.Kushwaha and others, had pitched for projecting Mayawati for the post of prime minister by the possible 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance).

The leaders had also said that projection of Mayawati as the PM face of the grand alliance would result in Dalits and other weaker sections supporting the opposition in a big way.