'BSP Won't Ally With Cong In Any State'

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday asserted that her party will not stitch an alliance with the Congress in any state for the upcoming elections to the 17th Lok Sabha.

“It has been reiterated once again that BSP will not have any alliance with Congress party in any state, to contest the upcoming elections,” she said after a meeting with BSP’s state party presidents over the party’s election preparation, candidates’ selection and strategy for Lok Sabha polls.

“BSP-SP alliance is working with respect and it is considered as ‘first and perfect’ in UP, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. This alliance is capable of defeating BJP and bringing about societal changes which are needed for national interest,” it read.

“There are many parties willing to forge an alliance with BSP but we do not want to do it for political benefits.”

Earlier, SP and BSP, while announcing their alliance, said they will contest 37 and 38 seats, respectively, in the upcoming polls.

The two parties had also agreed not to field candidates from Rai Bareli and Amethi, currently represented by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, respectively.   

In Uttar Pradesh, the highest number seats–80 Lok Sabha seats–is at stake. Congress has decided to contest all 80 seats after the party was not made a part of the SP-BSP alliance.

The Congress leadership had said that they will fight the Lok Sabha polls with ‘full force’ in Uttar Pradesh.

It is worth mentioning that Congress fought Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in alliance with SP in 2017. However, the BJP had registered a landslide victory.  (ANI)