Lucknow, Feb. 14: Akbar “Dumpy” Ahmad, a Sanjay Gandhi associate who had left the Congress for the Bahujan Samaj Party in 1998 only to return in 2002, went back to the BSP today as alliance talks between the two parties hurtled towards a dead end.

“If any party is able to fight the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, it is the Bahujan Samaj Party,” the former MP said. “I still have faith in the BSP and would work as just an ordinary worker of the party.”

The BSP appears to be keen on roping in individual Congress leaders rather than sealing a pact with the party. The tortuous negotiations between the Congress top brass and Mayavati appear to have run aground. Sources said the BSP has drawn up a tentative first list of 50 candidates. “We are waiting for behenji’s signal to announce their names,” a senior BSP leader said here.

One reason for the BSP’s reluctance to go for a tie-up is that the party’s core group feels a pre-poll alliance would help the Congress more. “We had an alliance with the Congress in the 1995 state polls. Although the Congress’ gain was substantial, the BSP gained nothing,” a former MP said. The BSP is also reported to be facing resistance from grassroots workers.

Moreover, the BJP has taken a soft line on Mayavati in the Taj Corridor case, allowing her a reprieve. The perception that the NDA might stage a comeback appears to have influenced the BSP leader in not pushing ahead with the alliance with the Congress.