In a fresh warning to her potential electoral allies, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday said her party would prefer to contest alone than “beg” for seats in an alliance.
Ms. Mayawati said her party would never compromise on the dignity and self-respect of Dalits, Tribals, Backwards, Muslims and poor among the upper castes, no matter how much “malice and oppression” it is subjected to under a government of the Congress and the BJP.
Ms. Mayawati reiterated that the only condition put forward by her for an alliance were “respectable seats” for the BSP.
“This in clear terms means that the BSP won't beg for seats in an alliance,” the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.
She was speaking on the occasion of the death anniversary of her mentor and founder of the BSP Kanshiram.
After deciding to go with Ajit Jogi's outfit in Chhattisgarh and rejecting the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as well, Ms. Mayawati has intensified her attacks on the Congress.
While targeting the current BJP government, she has also criticised the Congress.
Ms. Mayawati said both the BJP and Congress were not sympathetic to the bahujan samaj (dalits, tribals and backwards) and the poor among upper castes.
‘Attacks on BSP’
She accused both parties of trying to weaken the BSP and its leadership, restoring to all kinds of tactics to politically damage and defame it. This attempt intensifies around the time of elections, she said and warned her supporters to stay alert.
The BSP chief also condemned the attacks on migrants from U.P. and Bihar who were working in Gujarat, and criticised the BJP government for failing to check the “hate crimes.”