Mayawati-Led BSP Extends Support to NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar in Vice Prez Polls

Even during the recently held presidential polls, Mayawati had supported NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.

BSP supremo Mayawati.

(Photo: The Quint)

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday, 3 August, announced that her party will be supporting the NDA's candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar in the vice-presidential polls, which is scheduled to take place on 6 August.

Dhankar will be contesting the election against the Opposition's candidate Margaret Alva.

Even during the recently held presidential polls, Mayawati had supported the NDA's candidate Droupadi Murmu.

Taking to Twitter, Mayawati said that she has decided to support Dhankhar, considering the "wider public interest" and her party's movement.

"It is well known that due to the lack of consensus between the government and the Opposition in the election for the post of the highest president of the country, a election was held for it. Now due to the same situation, the election for the post of vice president is also going to be held on 6th August," Mayawati tweeted.

"In such a situation, keeping in mind the wider public interest and our party's movement, BSP has decided to extend its support to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar and which I am also formally announcing today," she wrote in another tweet.

Why Did BSP Support Droupadi Murmu?

"The BSP has decided to extend support to Droupadi Murmu in the coming presidential elections keeping in mind that the Adivasi samaj is an important part of the party's movement," Mayawati had said, prior to the presidential polls.

She had also said that the decision was not taken to support the BJP or NDA and that it did not mean that the BSP would go against the UPA. Mayawati said that it was done keeping in mind "our party and its movement" for making a "capable" Adivasi woman the president of the country.

Mayawati had also criticised the Opposition for not consulting her while deciding on a presidential candidate and had stressed that the BSP was free to take its stand in the presidential elections.