UP polls: Congress-SP alliance via Dimple Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi?

Dimple Yadav, Samajwadi Party MP and wife of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, may be taking on a sensitive assignment on behalf of the party. According to an NDTV report, Dimple seems to have been charged with speaking to Priyanka Gandhi about an alliance with Congress ahead of the upcoming state assembly election.

Akhilesh has been keen on an alliance with the Congress, saying the parties together could net more than 300 of the state's 403 seats. Talks for an alliance with Congress had hit a roadblock with Mulayam ruling out such a possibility and favouring only merger of parties with SP. With the Akhilesh faction breaking away from the parent Samajwadi Party, the possibility of an alliance with Congress brightened. 

Rumours of Akhilesh meeting with Rahul have been doing the rounds but the Congress Vice President has kept his cards close to his chest. Leaders of his party have made pitched against "strengthening" regional parties, insisting that the Congress should try to become strong.

Dimple was elected to the Parliament in 2012 from Akhilesh Yadav's constituency Kannauj. NDTV's source says that Dimple will play a bigger role in campaigning during the upcoming Uttar Pradesh election. If the alliance with Congress works out, Akhilesh will reportedly place her with Priyanka Gandhi at rallies and public meetings.

The two have already begun making appearances together on election posters in the state.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Dimple Yadav on a poster in Allahabad pic.twitter.com/CX55H4Tqma

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 14, 2017