Mayawati maintains wait and watch policy; BSP denies forming political alliance

The Bahujan Samaj Party has decided to wait till the Uttar Pradesh assembly election results are declared before thinking about its next move.

Lucknow, March 10: After Akhilesh Yadav hinted at forging an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party, in case the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance does not get 202 seats to form the next government in Uttar Pradesh, reports say the BSP is maintaining a 'wait and watch' policy.

Speaking to ANI, sources in the party say they will wait and watch for results. The results of the assembly election in five states--UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur--will be declared on Saturday. "As of now not thinking of alliance with anyone," a senior BSP leader was quoted by ANI.

During an interview with BBC Hindi on Thursday, the incumbent chief minister said that he was open to form an alliance in case the SP-Congress partnership did not get the majority in the 403-member UP assembly.

In the same interview, the CM maintained that the SP-Congress alliance is winning the elections, but is ready to join hands with other secular forces to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party away from forming the next government in the state. However, Akhilesh stayed away from explicitly announcing the BSP's name as his new likely political partner during the interview. But the hint was enough for experts to read that the SP president is putting out feelers to Mayawati.

Few also say that Akhilesh made the oblique remark to dissuade the BJP from approaching Mayawati to support the saffron party in case no party or alliance gets a majority in the highly-contested UP polls.

There are also reports that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is having backdoor parleys with the SP and the BSP. However, the Trinamool Congress Party has denied these reports. "Mamata is not in talks with Akhilesh and Mayawati," TMC sources were quoted by ANI.

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