Anything is possible in politics: Cong min on tie-up with BSP

New Delhi: A day after Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma caused a flutter in the party by favouring a tie-up with Mayawati’s BSP, another senior party leader today said anything is possible in politics. “No possibility can be ruled out in politics,” Minister of State for Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat told reporters here when asked if there is any chance of Congress going with BSP to form government in UP as asserted by Verma. Verma, who quit Samajwadi Party in 2007 following differences with Mulayam Singh Yadav, had yesterday said, “If we have to form an alliance, I would personally prefer BSP. SP is a party of goons…BSP is a party of Dalits.” [caption id=“attachment_234556” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Will we see a Cong-BSP tie-up in UP? Reuters”]  [/caption] Disagreeing with the exit polls prediction that put Congress at the fourth position in Uttar Pradesh, Rawat claimed his party will form government not only in the state but also in Uttarakhand and Punjab. “The government formation in UP would take place in and around Congress,” he said on the sidelines of a function. “Rahul factor” has helped the party and its performance will be “handsome” in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi’s “influence” was visible during polls in UP as well as in Uttarakhand, he said. “Rahul successfully changed the agenda of elections in UP from caste and religion to ‘vikas’ (development),” said Rawat, who is rated as a frontrunner for the post of Chief Ministership of Uttarakhand if Congress comes to power there. Rawat, fifth term Lok Sabha member from Uttarakhand, said anti-incumbency waves in the hill state and Punjab will definitely bring Congress to power in the two states. Rejecting the notion that Team Anna campaign dented prospects of Congress in UP, he said, “They (Team Anna) can say anything to please themselves but in reality nobody took them seriously in the polls anywhere.” Earlier, Rawat shared platform with NCP leader and Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar during inauguration of Kharif conference 2012. PTI