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Gehlot calls Congress’s alliance with BSP in Uttar Pradesh in 90s a blunder
He said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who led the party’s campaign in Uttar Pradesh, was at least able to give a message that the battle can be fought
JAIPUR: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s victory in Uttar Pradesh and called Congress’s alliance with the Mayawati-led party in the state in the 90s a blunder.
“Our biggest blunder in Uttar Pradesh was the alliance with BSP in the 90s. Two-thirds of seats were given to BSP and Congress became the junior party. It was the biggest mistake and the party has been unable to recover from it to date in the state,” Gehlot said on Sunday in Delhi, where he attended the Congress Working Committee meeting following the party’s dismal electoral performance in five states including Uttar Pradesh.
Gehlot hit out at Mayawati for “cheating” the BSP and allegedly supporting the BJP. He added no one could have ever thought that BSP will win just one seat in Uttar Pradesh. Gehlot said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who led the Congress campaign in Uttar Pradesh, was at least able to give a message that the battle can be fought. “Victory or defeat in the election is a different matter, but she fielded candidates on 403 seats and it is a huge achievement...gave 40% of tickets to women...”
Gehlot said elections were being fought on emotional issues everywhere. “These people make non-issues issues, do politics by polarising people in the name of religion...,” he said, without naming anyone. He admitted to some mistakes. “...the rift within Congress in Punjab, allegations, and counter-allegations ...the public did not accept these things. The policies of the Congress, its programmes, principles have not been rejected anywhere in the country.”
