BSP will emerge as Balance of Power in Punjab: Mayawati

Jalandhar, Nov 30 (UNI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today claimed that her party would hold the balance of power in the government formation after next assembly elections in Punjab.

Speaking at BSP's 'Nirnayak Bano Sankalp' rally (Resolve to be decisive factor) at Tajpur Bhagwanpura on the outskirts of the city, Ms Mayawati said her party had been peforming well in the state and had bagged 8 per cent votes in the last Lok Sabha elections without forging an alliance.

Taking strong exception to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's statement that BSF was a dying political force after Mr Kanshi Ram's death, Ms Mayawati retorted that it was the Congress which was heading for its political demise and Capt Singh should bother for the fate of his own party.

Ms Mayawati said if the chief minister had any doubt about BSP then he should consult Congressmen of Uttar Pradesh who were ''running after her'' for an alliance in the last assembly elections.

She said, ''even rumours about possibility of an alliance between BSP and Akali Dal, are also doing rounds in the political circles in the state but I would like to clarify that there are no talks being held between two parties for an alliance''.

She said her party was firm in its decision to contest the polls on its own.

Akali Dal now was broken into several groups and the rumours were being aired by Akalis to prevent possible inflow of Akali workers into BSP, she claimed.

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