Mayawati claims BSP behind BJP, Cong mayoral wins

Lucknow, Nov 10 (UNI) Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BSP president Mayawati today claimed her party was behind the recent wins of BJP and Congress candidates in mayoral elections.

Talking to reporters here, Ms Mayawati said since the BSP had decided against contesting the urban local body elections on party symbol, it was on her directions that the party's electorate voted for BJP and Congress candidates to ensure defeat of Samajwadi Party candidates.

''As our candidates in mayoral elections were contesting as Independents, we could not inform the electorate about their election symbols in time. Therefore, it was decided to vote for the winnable candidate of either Congress or BJP to ensure setback for SP,'' she claimed.

The BSP leader said the demise of party founder Kanshi Ram snatched a lot of time from party functionaries to campaign for BSP supported candidates.

''In Lucknow, my electorate voted for Dr Mansoor Ahmed (Cong) as we thought he would win. The votes he could muster were actually ours...Congress had no capability to garner such a big vote share,'' she claimed.

BJP had bagged 8 out of 12 mayor posts, followed by Congress (3) and SP (1).

Alleging large-scale rigging in the local body elections, she claimed had the polls been held impartially, the ruling SP could have faced major reverses.

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