Mayawati to go solo in Lok Sabha polls, says 'option open for post-poll alliance'

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati today said that she will fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections alone, and that her party will not go in alliance with anyone. However, she did not rule out a post-poll alliance.

"BSP will not go in alliance with anyone but the option is open for post-poll alliance," Mayawati said. She claimed that whenever the BSP fights elections in alliance with another party in Uttar Pradesh, it ends up losing more than any profit, as the votes get transferred to the alliance.

"The BSP had to bear more loss than gain by getting into alliances in UP as its votes clearly get transferred to the alliance partner, but the reverse never happens," Mayawati said. The party would consider aligning with any party after assessing the post-poll situation, she added.

The BSP had earlier entered into alliances with the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in the state and Lok Sabha elections in UP, in which the latter benefitted.

Mayawati, who had served as the 18th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, turned 68 years old on Monday, and said she had no plan to retire from politics.

"The situation is pitiful for SC, ST, and OBC categories, as there is no provision for government jobs and other areas... I have dedicated my entire life to their well-being. I will remain in politics until my last breath, working for the backward," she said.

Mayawati also slammed the BJP, and said they only indulge in the "politics of casteism and communalism" and claimed the people don't want to see them in power.

She said the BJP has been making tall claims which only cause hardships for the people in the form of inflation, poverty, unemployment and hatred.

"Instead of providing means of employment, they are making people dependent by giving a small amount of free ration," she said.

Meanwhile, speaking about whether she would attend that 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, Mayawati said, "I have been invited, but I have not yet decided to go as I am busy with the party's work. We have no objection to any program that is planned, we welcome it."

"If there is any event related to the Babri Masjid, we would welcome it too. The BSP is a secular party, and we respect everyone. We respect all religions, and I welcome the invitation that I have received," the BSP supremo added.