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No alliance with INDIA or NDA, BSP to go it alone: Mayawati
NDA and INDIA mostly comprise of parties that are anti-poor, casteist, communal and pro-rich, against whose policies we are continuously fighting. That is why the question of contesting elections in alliance with these two does not arise, says BSP chief
LUCKNOW A day before the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) meeting in Mumbai, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati dismissed speculations of joining INDIA or the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), saying her party would “single-handedly” contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“The NDA and INDIA mostly comprise of parties that are anti-poor, casteist, communal and pro-rich, against whose policies BSP is continuously fighting. That is why the question of contesting elections in alliance with the two alliances does not arise,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
The BSP will contest the LS and assembly elections in four states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana on its own strength, she said.
The former chief minister urged the media to refrain from spreading fake news. “Despite the manipulations and manoeuvres of the opponents, the BSP, like in the 2007 assembly election, will go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the upcoming assembly elections in four states by uniting millions of neglected people on the basis of mutual brotherhood. The media should not spread misconception,” she said.
She said all political parties were eager for an alliance with the BSP. “If the BSP does not opt for alliance, the opposition alleges collusion with the BJP. If you meet the opposition leaders, then you are secular, if you don’t meet them, you are with the BJP…it’s grossly unfair,” she said.
Hitting out at former MLA Imran Masood (who was expelled from the BSP on Tuesday), Mayawati said: “After being expelled from the party, the former Saharanpur MLA is busy praising the Congress and top leaders of that party, due to which it is natural for people to ask the question - why he left the Congress and joined another party? How can people trust such people?
The BSP had not received an invitation for the third INDIA meeting to be held in Mumbai on Thursday. The BSP was also not invited for the previous two meetings in Patna and Bengaluru, despite an indication by Mayawati that her party was open to opposition alliance.
Fifteen political parties had attended the first opposition parties’ meeting in Patna on June 23, hosted by the Janata Dal (U). Eight more were invited to the Bengaluru meeting on July 17-18. Top leaders of the 26 parties are likely to attend the two-day meeting of INDIA in Mumbai.
