BSP chief Mayawati (PTI Photo)
In a big setback for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday said her party will not participate in the RJD’s BJP Bhagao Rally in Patna August 27, news agency ANI reported. Clarifying her decision to skip the rally, Mayawati said that “RJD was told by her party it will share stage with them only if it’s decided in advance which party will contest on how many seats.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Lalu Yadav had told media that BSP leader Satish Mishra will attend the rally. “I had a talk with Mayawati. She said senior BSP leader Satish Mishra would come for the rally,” he had told reporters. The latest decision by Mayawati can be a big disappointment for Lalu Yadav as Congress chief Sonia Gandhi too has decided to give the rally a miss. According to the RJD chief, senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and C P Joshi would also attend the rally with a message from All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi.
Asked about the chances of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attending the event, Lalu had said, “He could also be there.” He also confirmed that the rally will be attended by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav.
At the time of announcing the ‘BJP Bhagao Rally’ (oust BJP rally) at the Gandhi Maidan at Patna, Lalu Yadav had boasted of bringing Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav together on one platform, which would mean the “end of the match for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls”.
