‘Ready to be part of anti-BJP front’

Having faced a humiliating defeat in 2017 UP polls, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday indicated that she was willing to be a part of larger anti-BJP front.

“The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of antiBJP parties in its fight against EVM tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first...we have to keep democracy alive,” she said while addressing an Ambedkar anniversary function of the party here.

She also announced that her brother Anand Kumar would be the vice-president of the party.

“He resides in Delhi and will handle the party work. As national vice-president he will be empowered to dispose of the party documents and represent the party in the meetings held by Election Commission,” she said.

Mayawati made the announcement while addressing the cadre during the Ambedkar birth anniversary function at Lucknow’s Ambedkar Memorial.

Her announcement assumes significance as it could pave way for formation of a larger front to stop the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a second term.

During the run up to Uttar Pradesh polls Mayawati had consistently rejected suggestions of being a part of a larger anti-BJP front on the lines of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ or Grand alliance in Bihar where BJP got defeated.

Before the assembly election, the JD (U) and Congress leaders had held several rounds of meeting with BSP chief Mayawati to discuss the formation of grand alliance.

Mayawati had rejected the proposal and announced that her party will contest the assembly election on its own strength.