Akhilesh has quite a distance to traverse before he can emerge as the undisputed point man for an anti-BJP consolidation. To assuage their frayed tempers, he had gone personally to invite Mulayam for the Agra meet and called on him immediately after his re-election. Mulayam’s silence over his son’s re-election as the SP chief for a term of five years is not without significance in this backdrop. The only other viable contender for political power in Uttar Pradesh is already in political trouble. With UP in control, he can be a potential frontrunner to lead the non-BJP consolidation in the 2024 general elections.

Source: Hindustan Times October 11, 2017 09:45 UTC