BSP must explain reason for SP pact, says Keshav Maurya

Lucknow: UP deputy chief minister Keshav Maurya has said that the Bahujan Samaj Party had now turned into “Bahujan Samajwadi Party” after going in for electoral alliance with Samajwdai Party.

In an informal talk with  reporters, Mr Maurya said that the BSP leadership should explain to the people why she had allied with SP.

“For 23 years, both the parties used expletives against each other and suddenly they are displaying this bonhomie. They have been pitting their workers against each other and now without any explanation, they are claiming to be best of friends. In a democracy every party is answerable to its voters”, he said.

He said that in 2007, Ms Mayawati had given the slogan “Chhad goondon ki chhati par, Mohar lagegi haathi par” but it seems that the goons have now turned gentlemen overnight. Mr Maurya, who carried out an intensive campaign in Phulpur, the seat he had won in 2014 with over three lakh vote margin, said that the BJP would win both the seats and all alliances and rivals would be wiped out.

“In 2014, all parties had contested separately and the BJP had got more than 52 per cent votes which was more than the total of all Opposition votes. This time we are going to surpass out own record”, he said and added that the those who were dreaming of defeating the Modi-Yogi combination would be grossly disappointed.

“In 2019, we are aiming at winning all the 80 seats and there are no doubts about this”, he said.

Mr Maurya denied that he had any differences with chief minister Yogi Adityanath, as had been reported in a section of the media.

“There are no differences between me and the chief minister. Together we are working for the development of the state. We have done more work in one year than what others had done in 15 years. Stories about differences are being planted by a desperate Opposition,” he said.