Mayawati Says No Alliance with Congress Across India
Ending speculations about an alliance with the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said they won’t tie-up with the party across India. The decision was taken at a party meeting today. The BSP chief also expressed faith in the SP-BSP alliance saying, “it is perfect for defeating the BJP, especially in Uttar Pradesh”.
Addressing party leaders from various states, excluding Uttar Pradesh, here, Mayawati said while several parties were ‘eager’ for an alliance with the BSP, her party would not do anything for mere electoral gains as it could “harm the BSP movement”.
Early last month, the SP and BSP had buried their hatchet and announced a pre-poll alliance, deciding to contest on 38 seats each, leaving two seats to the Congress and two to a possible ally. Of the five seats the BSP-SP alliance set aside, two are for the Congress (Rae Bareli, Amethi) and three for the RLD (Mathura, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar).
The general elections will pit the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) against a combination of opposition parties, including the Congress, the Left and several regional forces, with the latter still trying to stitch up a grand alliance to minimise the division of votes against the ruling combine.
The BJP has worked out a seat-sharing formula with its new allies and old partners – by even making concessions to them in states like Bihar – while the opposition parties are yet to arrive at a deal in several states.
Courtesy: Indian Express
