BSP to Go Solo If Seat-Share Not Respectable: Mayawati

Mayawati also denied reports of any association with the Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad over his ‘bua’ remark.

File photo of BSP chief Mayawati.

(Photo: PTI)

Virtually laying down the terms for an alliance with non-BJP parties for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday, 16 September, demanded a “respectable share of seats” failing which, she said, her party will go it alone.

“The BSP might be compelled to go it alone if it does not get a respectable number of seats in the anti-BJP alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

This is our clear cut stand, she said at a press conference held for the first time in her new accommodation in Lucknow after she was forced to vacate a sprawling government bungalow following Supreme Court orders.

‘BSP to Form Alliance Only If It Gets a Respectable Seat-Share’

About the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the upcoming Assembly elections in certain states, Mayawati said, “The effort of the opposition parties will be to stop the BJP from coming to power at any cost.” For this, talks for forging an alliance are also going on, she said.

Our party is not against the alliance, but our stand is very clear that we will ally with a political party only if we get a respectable share of seats. Otherwise, our party feels, it is better to contest the elections alone.

BSP chief Mayawati said

We will agree to alliance anywhere and in any election only when we get a respectable share of seats, otherwise the BSP will contest alone, she emphasised.

Mayawati Slams BJP, Says ‘Party Never Followed Vajpayee's Ideals’

Accusing the BJP of resorting to diversionary tactics ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year, she said the saffron party was making lucrative announcements and not leaving any stone unturned to gain advantage from the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

They (BJP) never followed Vajpayee's footsteps, when he was alive, she said taking a jibe.

Had Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP followed the ideals of Vajpayee and ran the government accordingly, there would not have been religious frenzy and communal incidents. Nor there would have been the rule of mobocracy.

BSP chief Mayawati

Mayawati said, “People of the country know that the campaign undertaken by the BJP and the RSS in the name of Vajpayee is an attempt to hide failures. The BJP will not benefit from this. The people of the country now understand that none of the election promises made in 2014 Lok Sabha elections was fulfilled.”

Mayawati Calls Mob Lynching a ‘Blot on Democracy’

Terming mob lynchings in the name of cow protection (gauraksha) as a “blot on democracy”, Mayawati accused the BJP state governments of being lax on the issue.

“The increasing tendency of indulging in mob lynching in the name of cow protection in BJP-ruled states is a blot on democracy, yet the governments are exercising laxity and are being indifferent to it,” she said.

“These activities of the BJP governments (against the Dalits, tribals, backwards, Muslims and Christians) are going on from their inception and have assumed alarming proportions after they came to power,” she said, alleging the BJP after forming the government was trying to crush democratic movements.

Mayawati Snubs Bhim Army Chief on ‘Bua’, ‘Same Blood’ Remark

In a virtual snub to Chandrashekhar Azad, Mayawati denied reports of any association with the Bhim Army chief, days after he claimed that he and his “bua” (aunt) Mayawati have the “same blood”.

“Some people in order to realise their vested political interests, some in their defence, while some to look young are trying to forge different relationships such as brother-sister and bua-bhatija (aunt and nephew) with me,” she said.

Her comments came against the backdrop of the Bhim Army founder, who is also known as Ravan, reportedly claimed that, “We (he and Mayawati) both have the same blood. She may have some issues with me, I have none with her. It is not in my values to speak ill of my 'bua' (aunt). Our only aim is to defeat the BJP.”

Referring to attempts made by Chandrashekhar to forge the relationship of ‘bua’ with her, Mayawati said she cannot have any “respectable relationship with these people”.

For the past few days, a man who was recently released from jail is trying to call me ‘bua’. If these people were really interested in the welfare of Dalits, then instead of resurrecting their organisation, they would have joined the BSP.

BSP chief Mayawati

Mayawati claimed the Centre was not able to come clean on the Rafale deal.

Referring to demonetisation, Mayawati said, "It was done in an unplanned manner leading to a financial emergency. It exploited the labourers, farmers, small traders and hardworking people and took the lives of over 100 persons. The BJP government should now at least tender an apology over the national tragedy."

On the possibility of misuse of SC/ST Act, Mayawati said, "The BSP is of the view that if the current state governments follow the 'Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay' policy of her party, then there will be no misuse of this law."

Nervous Mayawati Expects Seats From Those Who Disrespected Her: BJP

The BJP on Sunday sought to know from whom BSP chief Mayawati was expecting ‘respect’ vis-a-vis her statement that her party will ally with any group as long as BSP gets “respectable share of seats”.

“Is she expecting respect from those who had shattered her pride and dignity in the infamous 1995 Guest House case?,” asked media coordinator of Uttar Pradesh BJP Rakesh Tripathi. Recalling the more than two-decade-old incident, Tripathi said it was BJP MLA Brahm Dutt Dwivedi who came to Mayawati's rescue.

“Today Mayawati is expecting respect from those, who had shown scant respect to her in the past. This shows how nervous she is and that her voter base has eroded,” Tripathi said.

On the BSP chief's statement that BJP is not leaving any stone unturned to derive mileage from the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP media coordinator said, "Mayawati has honoured so many great and eminent personalities by constructing their statues in Lucknow. I fail to understand why is she having any problem if the BJP is holding various programmes in honour and memory of Atalji."

Tripathi said, “Mayawati has been treating Dalits as her vote bank. The BJP on the other hand has worked to increase the bank balance of the Dalits. She is visualising that her bank is being virtually robbed. Hence she is worried.”