BSP CHIEF Mayawati said on Sunday that while she was not opposed to joining an anti-BJP alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, her party would go it alone if it does not get a “respectable share” of seats.
BSP CHIEF Mayawati said on Sunday that while she was not opposed to joining an anti-BJP alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, her party would go it alone if it does not get a “respectable share” of seats.
“Our party is not against the alliance, but our stand is very clear — that we will ally with a political party only if we get a respectable share of seats. Otherwise, our party feels it better to contest the elections alone,” she said.
Addressing a press conference, held for the first time at her new residence at 9, Mall Avenue here, the BSP chief also snubbed Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar, days after he said that he and his “bua” (aunt) Mayawati have the “same blood”.
“For some years now, I have seen that some people, for their vested political interests — some in their defence, some to show themselves as young — are forcefully trying to establish relationships, such as brother-sister or bua (aunt)-bhatija (nephew) with me. Moreover, under a planned conspiracy, the person involved in the bloody and castiest Dalit oppression case in Shabbirpur village of Saharanpur… as per the BJP’s plans, this person who recently came out of jail… is now announcing a relation of bua, and of blood, with me,” Mayawati said.
“I want to tell people of his kind that, in reality, I cannot have a relationship with them… With all my heart and respect, I only have a relationship with the crores of Dalits, tribals and people of other weaker sections for whom my life is devoted,” she said, adding that if these people were indeed her well-wishers, they would have worked under the BSP’s flag instead of creating a separate organisation.
Speaking to The Indian Express after his release from Saharanpur jail on Friday, Chandrashekhar had said that he had no issues with Mayawati, and they shared the “same blood”. “We both have the same blood. She may have some issues with me, I have none with her. It is not in my values to speak ill of my bua (aunt). Our only aim is to defeat the BJP,” he had said.
Targeting the BJP, Mayawati said the “increasing tendency” of mobs indulging in lynching in the name of cow protection in “BJP-ruled states” was a blot on democracy. Accusing the BJP of resorting to “diversionary tactics” as Lok Sabha elections are approaching, Mayawati said it was not leaving any stone unturned to “derive advantage from the demise of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee”. She added that while Vajpayee was alive, the party never tried to follow in his footsteps.
She alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was not able to come clean on the Rafale deal. Referring to demonetisation, Mayawati said it was done in an unplanned manner leading to a “financial emergency”.
Meanwhile, Mayawati also targeted the Congress, saying that it was equally responsible, with the BJP, for giving huge bank loans to some corrupt people, and letting them flee the country.
Questioning the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s order to refrain from using the word Dalit, she said: “In our Constitution, the name of our country is Bharat. But many people use Hindustan. Similarly, those who are known as Scheduled Caste (SC)… in the Constitution… as they are the weakest in every step of life… people generally call them Dalits. When people from BJP and RSS don’t have any problem in calling our country Hindustan, they should not have any problem is calling SCs Dalits.”
“Our party is not against the alliance, but our stand is very clear — that we will ally with a political party only if we get a respectable share of seats. Otherwise, our party feels it better to contest the elections alone,” she said.
Addressing a press conference, held for the first time at her new residence at 9, Mall Avenue here, the BSP chief also snubbed Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar, days after he said that he and his “bua” (aunt) Mayawati have the “same blood”.
“For some years now, I have seen that some people, for their vested political interests — some in their defence, some to show themselves as young — are forcefully trying to establish relationships, such as brother-sister or bua (aunt)-bhatija (nephew) with me. Moreover, under a planned conspiracy, the person involved in the bloody and castiest Dalit oppression case in Shabbirpur village of Saharanpur… as per the BJP’s plans, this person who recently came out of jail… is now announcing a relation of bua, and of blood, with me,” Mayawati said.
“I want to tell people of his kind that, in reality, I cannot have a relationship with them… With all my heart and respect, I only have a relationship with the crores of Dalits, tribals and people of other weaker sections for whom my life is devoted,” she said, adding that if these people were indeed her well-wishers, they would have worked under the BSP’s flag instead of creating a separate organisation.
Speaking to The Indian Express after his release from Saharanpur jail on Friday, Chandrashekhar had said that he had no issues with Mayawati, and they shared the “same blood”. “We both have the same blood. She may have some issues with me, I have none with her. It is not in my values to speak ill of my bua (aunt). Our only aim is to defeat the BJP,” he had said.
Targeting the BJP, Mayawati said the “increasing tendency” of mobs indulging in lynching in the name of cow protection in “BJP-ruled states” was a blot on democracy. Accusing the BJP of resorting to “diversionary tactics” as Lok Sabha elections are approaching, Mayawati said it was not leaving any stone unturned to “derive advantage from the demise of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee”. She added that while Vajpayee was alive, the party never tried to follow in his footsteps.
She alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was not able to come clean on the Rafale deal. Referring to demonetisation, Mayawati said it was done in an unplanned manner leading to a “financial emergency”.
Meanwhile, Mayawati also targeted the Congress, saying that it was equally responsible, with the BJP, for giving huge bank loans to some corrupt people, and letting them flee the country.
Questioning the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s order to refrain from using the word Dalit, she said: “In our Constitution, the name of our country is Bharat. But many people use Hindustan. Similarly, those who are known as Scheduled Caste (SC)… in the Constitution… as they are the weakest in every step of life… people generally call them Dalits. When people from BJP and RSS don’t have any problem in calling our country Hindustan, they should not have any problem is calling SCs Dalits.”