Jilted BSP blames Cong for loss of candidate

The Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) senior leadership and its candidates held several close door meetings, a day after its Northeast Delhi candidate Dilshad Ali withdrew his candidature in favour of Congress’ Jai Prakash Aggarwal. Atul Mathur reports.

The Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) senior leadership and its candidates held several close door meetings on Tuesday, a day after its Northeast Delhi candidate Dilshad Ali withdrew his candidature in favour of Congress’ Jai Prakash Aggarwal.

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To put up a united face in front of the media, the BSP also called its maiden press conference in Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Blaming the Congress for resorting to “shameless tactics”, BSP general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui said the electorate would never forgive the grand old party for its misdeeds.

“The Congress is feeling threatened after witnessing a huge turnout at Mayawati’s rally at Ramlila Ground on Sunday. Congress leaders know they are on a sticky wicket in most constituencies, which is why they’re using unfair means to bog us down,” he said.

A senior BSP functionary alleged the Congress was behind Dilshad’s arrest on “false charges”.

“There was a lot of pressure on BSP workers in Northeast Delhi. When all efforts of the Congress failed, they bought over Dilshad Ali,” he said.

While the BSP said the party would take appropriate action against Ali after the elections, the man who has left the BSP feeling jilted shared the dais with the likes of Sheila Dikshit, Oscar Fernandes and Sandeep Dikshit at Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Shastri Park in Northeast Delhi.