BSP supremo attacks saffron party, Congress

Nagpur: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Friday asserted that the election results of her state will be surprising and the BSP-Samajwadi Party (SP) combine will play a crucial role in forming the next government at the Centre. Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 seats, has always played an important role in the formation of the central government in Delhi.

Addressing a public meeting at the Kasturchand Park ground  in Nagpur on Friday, Ms Mayawati launched an attack on both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that due to wrong policies, the Congress had lost in some states. She called on voters to ensure that the BJP did not return to power at the Centre. “The BJP was indulging in jumlebaji and chowkidari slogans. The BJP failed to deliver even one-fourth of their promises,” she said.

She said that the BJP was not keen on implementing the Mandal Commission recommendations and the developmental activities in BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ruled states had come to a standstill.

On demonetisation, Ms Mayawati said that it had badly affected the business and trading community and overall, the Ind-ian economy. Mayawati also accused both the Congress and BJP of indulging in corruption. The Congress had indul-ged in the Bofors deal and now, the BJP-led NDA government was embroiled in the controversy over corruption in the Rafale fighter aircraft purchase.

She ridiculed the Congress’ promise of paying Rs 6,000 per month to the poor and claimed that this was not a permanent solution to the problem. “If my party comes into power, then we will provide employment to the poor in government and semi-government sector,” she said.

Training her guns on the state government, Ms Mayawati said that the farmers were in distress in the Vidarbha region and farmers’ suicides had continued unabated.