BSP chief Mayawati not to contest Lok Sabha elections 2019

New Delhi, Mar 20: In a surprising turn of events, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday said that she will not be contesting for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said,'' "We have a strong alliance with RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal) and Samajwadi Party to defeat the BJP. It is more important for us to win more seats than for me to win one. I had earlier resigned from Rajya Sabha to keep our movement alive, but keeping in mind the current political situation I have decided not to contest the Lok Sabha elections."

Mayawati had previously been wooed for an alliance by Congress but she chose to join hands with SP instead.

Even when Congress left seven Lok Sabha seats vacant in UP, saying it had done so for BSP, SP leaders to contest in if they chose to, Mayawati had hit back saying that the wrong impression was being given out. She also said that the BSP-SP combine is more than capable of defeating BJP in UP and that Congress should feel free to contest in all seats.

The SP and the BSP had forged an alliance on 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. As per the deal, the SP will contest 37 Lok Sabha seats in UP and the BSP 38, leaving three for the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal and two for Sonia Gandhi (Rae Bareli) and Rahul Gandhi (Amethi).