Mayawati's decision to go solo in future polls will weaken fight for social justice: SP

Ballia (UP), Jun 24: SP leader Ramashankar Vidyarthi on Monday said BSP supremo Mayawati's decision of going solo in all future elections will "weaken" the fight for social justice. Mayawati on Monday declared that her party in the future will contest all elections "small and big" on its own, signalling the end of the much discussed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance forged for the Lok Sabha polls.

"She is speaking against the Samajwadi Party in haste and due to the Dalit support to the SP and its leader Akhilesh Yadav. She is weakening the fight for social justice," Vidyarthi told reporters. The SP national general secretary said the 'Dalit samaj' is getting connected with the Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav in a big way. "People know the reality about what the 'malkin' of the alliance has done," he said.

Mayawati's announcement came a day after she held a meeting with party workers to review the BSP's performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls. "Everyone is aware that forgetting everything of the past as also the anti-BSP and anti-Dalit decisions like reservation in promotions and bad law and order during the SP rule in 2012-2017, BSP adhered to the 'gathbandhan dharma' with the Samajwadi Party in the interest of the country," she tweeted in Hindi.

"But the SP's attitude after the elections has forced the BSP to think, will it be possible to defeat the BJP in the future? This is not possible," she said. "Therefore, in the interest of the party and the movement, the party will contest all small and big elections on its own strength," Mayawati added. The BSP entered into an electoral alliance with Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) and Chaudhary Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha polls. The alliance, however, failed to make an impact in the politically crucial state. While the BSP managed to win ten seats, SP got five seats and RLD drew a blank.

PTI