SP says 'waiting' for BSP's official stand on alliance question

Lucknow, June 03: The Samajwadi Party said on Monday it is "waiting" for the Bahujan Samaj Party to take an "official stand" on whether to continue the alliance or not, hours after BSP chief Mayawati asked her party leaders to prepare to contest coming assembly bypolls on their own.

"No one has got the official stand of the BSP regarding the alliance. We are waiting for an official statement," SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI.

Earlier Monday at a meeting of BSP Uttar Pradesh unit in New Delhi, Mayawati asked her party leaders to not depend on the alliance to win votes but work to expand the organisation.

According to some of those present in the meeting, Mayawati referred to the family feud in the Yadav clan, saying the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP could not transfer the community votes to the BSP in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls. She said the SP could not even save its "family seats".

"These are all hearsay. What was the matter of discussion has to be understood," the SP spokesperson said.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will take a decision on the developments once he comes to Lucknow from his parliamentary constituency Azamgarh, Chaudhary said.

PTI