UP bypolls: BSP-BJP alliance not possible, ideologies opposite, says Mayawati

Lucknow, Nov 02: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati asserted on Monday that her party would never enter into an alliance with the BJP in the assembly or the Lok Sabha elections, highlighting that the ideology of the two parties were "opposite".

Her clarification came amid speculation over her last week's statement that the BSP would vote for the BJP or any other party's candidate to ensure defeat of the Samajwadi Party contenders in future elections, including those of the Uttar Pradesh legislative council and the Rajya Sabha.

Mayawati alleged that the SP and the Congress were misusing her recent statement so that the Muslim community distances itself from the BSP.

"The alliance of the BJP with the BSP is not possible in any polls in the future. The BSP cannot contest with the communal party," she said in a media briefing.

"Our ideology is of ''sarvajan sarva dharma hitay'' (benefit of everyone and all religions)'' and is opposite to the BJP''s ideology," she said. "The BSP cannot enter into an alliance with those having communal, casteist and capitalist ideology."

Mayawati said she would rather take ''sanyas'' (retirement) from politics than ally with such parties. "I will fight on all fronts with the communal, casteist and capitalist forces, and not going to bow before anyone," she added.

The BSP leader reiterated that her party would ensure the defeat of the SP''s second candidate in future Uttar Pradesh legislative council polls.

"Our party will support the candidate of any party, including the BJP, which is strong to defeat the second candidate of the SP," she said. "I stand by my earlier statement, which is misused by the SP and the Congress for political gains so that the Muslim community distances itself from the party."

She accused the SP and the Congress of trying to ensure that Muslims did not vote for the BSP in the bypolls to seven assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, adding that they would not be successful in this endeavour.

"Everyone knows that the BSP is party of an ideology and movement, and I never compromised it even when I formed the government with the BJP," Mayawati said, adding that she had "sacrificed" her government but never harmed the Muslim community.

"There was no Hindu-Muslim riots in my regime. History is witness to it. Under the SP and the Congress governments, there were many Hindu-Muslim riots," she said.

Mayawati underscored that she gave adequate representation to the Muslims when her party was in power, as she also pointed out that the party had given tickets to two candidates from the community in the by-elections.