Uttar Pradesh elections 2017: Sheila Dikshit says she would be happy to step aside for Akhilesh Yadav
Quick Take
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Sheila Dikshit is Congress' presumptive Chief Minister
Congress keen on alliance with Akhilesh Yadav
Congress wants to tie up if Akhilesh splits with father Mulayam
"If this happens," she said, of the alliance, "I would like a young person to be the Chief Minister of UP. ...I would like to step aside, that would be the correct thing to do." When asked if she believes Akhilesh Yadav would make a better Chief Minister, she said, "Of course, certainly, yes he's young, he's got five years' experience, if this gatbandhan comes around, if we get together, if the choice is between him and me, I would rather have him there than me, that is if this happens."
Her favourable assessment of the incumbent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, more than 30 years her junior, was accompanied by the caveat that she has not been consulted or informed about a possible collaboration.
Ms Dikshit was forced out of retirement by her party and named its choice for Chief Minister in July last year. Akhilesh Yadav is currently trying to close out a meta confrontation with his father, Mulayam Singh, for control of their Samajwadi Party.

Akhilesh Yadav has said an alliance with Congress will be beneficial.
With the Yadavs demonstrating no fatigue factor in their feud, the Congress is, according to sources, priming itself for a partnership with Akhilesh Yadav's faction, which has proven itself as far larger than his father's. At a weekend conference called by Akhilesh Yadav and forbidden by Mulayam Singh, thousands of party workers showed up and facilitated his replacing Mulayam Singh as Samajwadi President.
Akhilesh Yadav, whose rapport with Congress boss Rahul Gandhi is well-established, has on record said that he believes an alliance with the Congress would see them together winning close to 330 of Uttar Pradesh's 403 seats. His father's dismissal of that suggestion is one of the main reasons for their melodramatic estrangement. Another is the exclusion of Akhilesh Yadav from the process of selecting and naming the Samajwadi Party's candidates.
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