WILL RETIRE FROM POLITICS RATHER THAN ALLY WITH BJP IN LS, ASSEMBLY POLLS: MAYA
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday said she will retire from politics rather than enter into an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha or assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Mayawati said the BSP will not support communal and parochial forces at any cost.
The BSP will not allow rival political parties to damage its prospects in the elections by making wrong interpretation of her statement on October 29, she said.
After rebellion by seven BSP MLAs and their meeting with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on October 29, Mayawati had stated that the BSP decided to give a taste of its own medicine to the Samajwadi Party (SP) by ensuring the defeat of its candidate in the legislative council election.
She had said the BSP MLAs would vote for the BJP or any other party candidate to ensure the defeat of the SP candidate in the council election.
Alleging that BSP was cozying up to the BJP, some rival parties made the video clips of her statement go viral on the social media.
Sensing that wrong interpretation of her statement might damage her prospects in the bypolls by alienating the Muslim voters, Mayawati launched a damage control exercise.
Mayawati reminded the Muslim community that even after forming governments in alliance with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in the past, the BSP had not deviated from its ideology, rather it had weakened the base of the BJP. On the other hand, the BJP had been able to strengthen its support base when the SP was in power, she said.
The BSP fielded two Muslim candidates in UP bypolls, she said.The BSP worked for the welfare of the Muslims whether it formed governments in alliance with the BJP or came to power on its own in 2007.
CM Yogi addresses an election rally at Adapur in Raxaul subdivision in East Champaran.
Sandeep Bhaskar
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday mentioned Ayodhya temple, abrogation of Article 370 and safe release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan’s custody even as he attacked Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and asked people not to be carried away by its gimmicks of 10 lakh jobs.
Yogi said this while addressing separate rallies in Bihar’s Champaran, a predominately BJP bastion.
“Be it Congress or RJD, they only know how to cheat people. They have been dividing the society on the basis of caste, religion and region. Don’t expect them even to unite people,” he said.
He added, “Those who looted jobs of youth for the benefit of their family, how are they even promising jobs now, from
where they will bring the jobs? When they were in power, let alone provide food to poor, they even digested fodder of speechless animal.”
“Pakistan was forced to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as its cabinet ministers feared backlash from India,” he said.
Stakes are high for the NDA, especially BJP, in the third phase of elections. Of the 12 seats scheduled to go for poll in East and West Champaran, nine seats are held by BJP, RJD (two) and one Independent (a JD-U nominee in the elections this time).
Addressing another rally at Raxaul in East Champaran, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said: “During the Lok Sabha campaign in Champaran last year, I was frequently asked if the Ayodhya temple would be completed. Now I am standing before you after the accomplishments of the task.”