Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Friday targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) over its Rajya Sabha nominations, questioning its claim of representing the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) while selecting candidates for the Upper House.
In a post on X, Mayawati said the BSP did not depend on family members, relatives or wealthy industrialists for electoral candidates or financial support, and instead gave opportunities to workers from poor, middle class and weaker sections.
She contrasted this with the SP, alleging that despite projecting itself as a socialist and PDA-based party, it continued to nominate family members and affluent candidates.
Mayawati specifically referred to the renomination of senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav and the nomination of Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. Both filed their nomination papers on Wednesday (September 30) in the presence of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
“SP wants PDA votes in elections but makes its family members and big capitalists MPs and MLAs,” she said in her post.
Mayawati also referred to speculation about a possible third SP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election, saying such a move could be aimed at “saving face” if the party faced defeat.
{{/usCountry}}Mayawati also referred to speculation about a possible third SP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election, saying such a move could be aimed at “saving face” if the party faced defeat.
{{/usCountry}}She alleged that the SP’s approach reflected a “double” political character and appealed to Dalits, tribals, extremely backward communities, Muslims, other religious minorities and poor sections among upper castes to remain alert ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The BSP chief claimed that the interests of these sections were secure with her party and urged voters not to be misled by the SP’s PDA positioning.