Maya open to alliance with Cong, wants respectable share in seats
BSP chief had asked the Cong to firm up alliance in electionbound states
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Given the way this majority government is running, one is reminded of Kanshiramji’s statement that the country is better off with a ‘majboor’ (helpless) government than a ‘majboot’ (strong) one because as in the case of BJP a strong govt becomes reckless MAYAWATI, BSP chief
NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday insisted that the party will forge an alliance with the Congress party only if they are offered a respectable number of seats. “The BSP will contest elections as a part of coalition government only if it gets a respectable number of seats,” she told reporters.
Mayawati’s reaction came amid reports that she asked the Congress party to firm up an alliance in election-bound states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.The talk of alliance has divided the Congress too. While the grand old party feels that an alliance with the BSP will help it in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Congress state unit chief in Rajasthan Sachin Pilot said last month that there would be no alliance with the BSP for the state elections. In UP too there are talks of BSP entering into an alliance with Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal. However, BSP leaders say a final decision on alliance in UP and other places is still being decided.
Earlier this month, Mayawati directed the party leaders not to speak about alliance till the party leadership announces pre-poll ties with any party.
The BSP chief also slammed the BJP over mob lynching incidents and questioned if the BJP was committed to upholding the Constitution.
“A union minister had actually welcomed mob lynching accused and one of the ministers had even given the national flag to him. “It’s time that the centre passes a strong law against lynching else the country is not going to forgive the BJP leaders,” she said.
She said, “Given the way this majority government is running, one is reminded of Kanshiramji’s statement that the country is better off with a ‘majboor’ (helpless) government than a ‘majboot’ (strong) one because as in the case of BJP a strong government becomes reckless.”
Meanwhile on Wednesday, the Janata Dal (Secular) also said the party could not be taken for granted by the Congress for an alliance. Asked if his party would ally with the Congress in 2019 polls, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said, “Agenda is there (for an alliance). Let us see how the Congress is going to treat JD(S).”
The two-month-old JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka has been through some rocky times so far.