Mayawati makes fervent appeal to Muslims, others to support BSP in UP polls

Lucknow,: Making a fervent appeal to Muslims and others that they should not waste their vote on SP or Congress and support BSP, so that BJP can be defeated, party supremo Mayawati today said wondered how could the voters support a 'tainted' Chief Minister of the SP, which has failed to secure the lives and property of the people of Uttar Pradesh. She warned that if BJP comes to power in UP, then the reservation given to the Dalits and Backwards would also be under threat. "BJP is day-dreaming of getting power in UP and the RSS leaders have started making statements on reservation.

But, BSP has vowed that it would not allow BJP to come to power at any cost," she said, adding that BJP government at the Centre has already taken several steps to hit the reservation policy by promoting the private sector. Suggesting the Congress that they should not ally with the SP, so that they could not be charged for the failures of the Akhilesh Yadav government, Ms Mayawati claimed that Congress' condition is so bad in UP that they are not able to find candidates, despite doing rath yatras and khaat sabhas. "While SP has fielded a tainted CM face and BJP has failed to give any CM face due to rumbling in the party, there is only BSP left, which can give an honest and able leadership in the state," she claimed. Ms Mayawati made a fervent appeal to Muslims to support her party and prevent BJP from coming to power, thus going against the Supreme Court's ruling that leaders should not appeal on religion or caste line.

Addressing a press conference here, the BSP chief claimed that people of the state have not forgotten over 500 communal riots in the state during this government, besides the failures of both the UP and the Central governments. SP is now a divided house, following the clear cut division among the base vote of the party, hence their defeat in the elections is written in the book, she asserted. Similarly, BJP, which has even failed to give any CM face, was on the backfoot, following the demonetisation row and the failure to fulfill the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Besides, the ticket distribution in BJP has also created a revolt like situation in the party and thus, they are now trying to save their own house, she pointed out, alleging that SP was playing to the tune of BJP by forging alliance with the Congress. SP and BJP have a clear nexus and they are trying to help each other politically, she added. (UNI)