Despite poll setback, BSP chief backs ally
Samajwadi Party cancels celebrations to mark its nominee’s win as a sign of solidarity with BSP
Leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Mayawati yesterday asserted that her party’s understanding with the Samajwadi Party (SP) will not be affected by the defeat in the elections to the Upper House of parliament and that she would not allow the BJP’s “design” to create a rift between the two parties to succeed.
Her remarks came after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav cancelled the victory celebration for his party nominee Jaya Bachchan, which was to be held in the state capital yesterday, as a sign of solidarity with the BSP whose lone candidate backed by the SP lost in the Rajya Sabha polls.
“There will not be an iota of difference in the close understanding between the BSP and SP because of the Rajya Sabha results yesterday,” Mayawati said at a press conference, clearly indicating that the BSP is keen to consolidate its association with the SP, which is seen as a major reason for the BJP’s defeat in two prestigious Lok Sabha seats of Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats.
After it wrested the two seats with the BSP’s backing, the Samajwadi Party had reciprocated by promising to ensure victory of BSP candidate Bhimrao Ambedkar. However, the BSP lost out in a cliffhanger yesterday.
“I am thankful for the support of Congress and SP whose seven MLAs voted for BSP candidate as well as one SBSP MLA Kailash Nath Sonekar who voted as per his conscience and will stand by him in case he faces any trouble in future,” Mayawati said, alleging “the BJP tried every trick to defeat the BSP candidate and indulged in malpractice.
“I want to warn the BJP and RSS that I will not allow their design to create rift between the new understanding among the BSP and Samajwadi Party to succeed under which they conspired to the defeat of BSP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election,” she said.
Suspension order
The BSP president also claimed that BJP leaders will resort to “unfounded allegations” to break their understanding and indicated that she was ready to look beyond the bitter past with the SP.
The BSP chief suspended the party’s legislative assembly member, Anil Singh, alleging that he cross-voted in favour of the BJP to serve his business interests.