Unfazed by poll debacle, Maya to go it alone in states

LUCKNOW: Even as Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is trying to build an alliance of the regional parties to counter the BJP, the BSP chief Mayawati has made it clear that her party BSP would not tie up with any political party and contest the election on its own strength in Jharkhand, J&K, to be held in November, as well as Delhi, likely to be held in February next year.

LUCKNOW: Even as Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is trying to build an alliance of the regional parties to counter the BJP, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has decided to go it alone even after the humiliating defeat of the party in the last Lok Sabha election.

Terming the bonhomie between SP, JD (U), RJD and INLD an opportunistic alliance, she has directed party leaders to start preparation for the assembly elections in Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, to be held in November, as well as Delhi, likely to be held in February next year.

Mayawati has made it clear that the BSP would not tie up with any political party and contest the election on its own strength in the three states. “The BSP will not join any alliance in which its archrival SP is playing a role. The BSP hopes that anti incumbency against the SP will help it to regain power in 2017 assembly election,” said a BSP leader adding, “The experience of an alliance with the SP in 1993 and later with the Congress in 1996 was not encouraging. Rather, the alliance partners benefited as BSP was able to transfer its vote to them.”

A meeting of the leaders of the central executive committee of the BSP was held under the chairmanship of Mayawati at New Delhi on November 2 to discuss the strategy for the assembly elections. The state unit presidents of all the three states were present in the meeting.

A senior BSP leader present in the meeting said, “The BSP would field candidates on all the seats in Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi. The aim is not only to protect its vote base but also its national status.”

The Election Commission has issued notice to the BSP seeking its stance on why the national status should not be withdrawn after its failed to open account in Lok Sabha election and polled merely 4.1% votes.

To maintain the national party tag, a political party has to poll 6% of the valid votes in Lok Sabha and assembly elections in at least four states. Also, a party has to win 2% seats in Lok Sabha election from minimum three states. In its reply to the notice, the BSP has urged the Election Commission to wait for the assembly elections results.

The party is also preparing a plan to check Aam Admi Party (AAP) that make inroad into its vote bank in 2013 assembly election in Delhi. Though there is considerable vote of Dalits as well as migrants from UP, the BSP failed to bag any seat and polled merely 5.35% votes. In 2008 assembly elections, the BSP had polled 14.05% votes and secured victory on two seats.

Mayawati has entrusted the task to regain its vote bank to trusted leaders, including party’s Muslim face Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Ramachal Rajbhar and SC Mishra