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Mayawati takes swipe at Samajwadi Party, says ‘can never say who will need whom’
The BSP chief’s statement comes after INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday where the Samajwwadi Party had opposed the move to induct the BSP into the alliance.
Days after the Samajwadi Party had reportedly opposed the move to induct the Bahujan Samaj Party into the INDIA bloc, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday indicated that she wished to keep the doors open for future political alignments.
“It is inappropriate for anyone to make unnecessary comments on parties, including the BSP, that are not a part of the opposition alliance,” she said at a media briefing.
“My suggestion to them is that they should refrain from it because you can never say who will need whom in the future in the public interest,” Mayawati added.
“It is not right... such people and parties who make comments have to face a lot of embarrassment later. The Samajwadi Party is a living example of this,” she said.
The BSP chief’s statement comes after INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday where the Samajwwadi Party had opposed the move to induct the BSP into the alliance. In an earlier meeting on Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders had told the central Congress leadership to open the doors for the BSP in the INDIA bloc to challenge the BJP’s might in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
However, the SP vetoed the move to bring BSP into the INDIA bloc, said a Congress leader familiar with the development in the meeting.
Mayawati’s statement also indicates despite ruling out an alliance with either the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA or the opposition’s INDIA bloc earlier and asserting that BSP will go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, she wished to keep the doors open.
A BSP leader said the INDIA bloc is yet to reach a seat-sharing formula in Uttar Pradesh despite several rounds of talks. The Congress state unit leaders have put pressure on the central leadership not to ignore the BSP that has polled between 12% and 20% votes in the state assembly and Lok Sabha elections. A majority of the BSP Lok Sabha MPs want the party chief to join the INDIA alliance, according to the party leader.
When the Lok Sabha election approaches, the political situation may pave the way for the BSP’s entry into the alliance, he said.
On the Ram temple inauguration ceremony, Mayawati said, “The BSP is a secular political party. The people who have faith in various religions live in our country and they have different religious places, which my party respects. Our party has no objection to the Ram temple which is going to be inaugurated next month. In Ayodhya, on the order of the court, a mosque is being constructed on the land allotted by the government. The BSP will have no objection to its inauguration. The BSP respects all religious places. In the last few years, the politics being done over this is disgusting, sad and worrying and should not be done.”
Mayawati also described the suspension of about 143 Opposition MPs as sad and unfortunate.
“Our party believes that the suspension of opposition MPs in both Houses during the current session of Parliament is neither good work nor a good record for the government or the opposition. No matter who is responsible for this, this is a sad and unfortunate incident in parliamentary history that will also shake the trust of the people,” Mayawati said.
She also referred to the viral video of a suspended MP ostensibly mimicking the Rajya Sabha chairman, saying it was also inappropriate.
“The mimicry video of the Rajya Sabha chairman that went viral was inappropriate and against the dignity. The tussle between the ruling and opposition parties is not good for democracy. The passing of important bills in Parliament in the absence of the opposition is not a good tradition in democracy,” she said.
Describing the Parliament security breach incident as a serious matter, she said all should pay attention to the security of Parliament.
“Making allegations against each other will not solve the matter. Strict legal action should be taken against the accused and conspirators (for) breach of the security. The Intelligence agencies should remain alert to check a repeat of such incidents,” she said.
