Mayawati rules out pact with Cong, BJP in UP polls

Amidst speculation of her political move in the backdrop of the spectacular win of the Grand Alliance in Bihar, BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday claimed that her party would align neither with the Congress nor the BJP. The BSP is being seen to be a principal player in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The BSP chief, while speaking to reporters outside Parliament, stated, “I want to state it clearly that the BSP will not have any alliance with any party.”

She firmly stated that her party would contest the UP state polls alone and would field candidates on all 403 seats. Ms Mayawati also sought to blame the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state for spreading “rumours” about her party seeking an alliance with the Congress or the BJP. She claimed that the SP, on the contrary, has joined hands with the BJP.

“In fact, the SP has already joined hands with the BJP. The SP broke out from the Grand Alliance of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar in Bihar to help the BJP in the recently-held state elections. This is a well-coordinated effort on the part of the SP to spread canards,” added Ms Mayawati.

The BSP supremo also stepped up attack on the SP and accused that the situation in UP is not good and the state is witnessing communal tension. “People of UP want change in the state and they want the BSP to come to the power,” she added.

On Monday, Ms Mayawati kept up attack on both the Congress and the BJP, accusing the parties of being “anti-dalit”. She told reporters that on the issue of Gen. V.K. Singh’s “dog” remark, her party had sought his resignation. But the government is not going to take any action and it shows their anti-dalit attitude, she claimed.

In the same vein, she also said that anti-dalit atrocities were going on in Haryana even while the Congress was in power in the state.