SP pact only for bypolls, not 2019 election: Mayawati

After 23 years, the BSP and the Samajwadi Party joined hands again in Uttar Pradesh to take on the BJP in bypolls on two Lok Sabha seats in Gorakhpur and Phulpur, vacated by CM Yogi Adityanath and Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The BSP, however, made it clear that the support to the Samajwadi Party was only for bypolls on two Lok Sabha seats and should not be viewed as an indication for any alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

BSP supremo Mayawati did not field any candidate for bypolls on the two seats in UP and the choice for supporting any opposition candidate was wide open with her.

“We have extended support to the Samajwadi Party candidates for bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur only. We will neither share dais with Samajwadi Party nor campaign for their candidates. The BSP will only ask its cadres to support SP candidates on both seats since it has not fielded any candidate,” announced Ashok Gautam, BSP Zonal Coordinator, after a meet in Lucknow.  

The BSP and SP had fought the 1993 Assembly elections together. But the partnership did not last long. The BSP withdrew support to then Mulayam Singh Yadav government after Mayawati was holed up in a room at the State Guest House on June 2 1995 and her party MLAs were attacked and kidnapped by SP goons. Since then, SP was a sworn enemy of Mayawati and her party.

The alliance has come as a rude shock to the ruling BJP. The party leadership has, however, ridiculed the partnership and claimed it will not make any impact on the prospects of BJP candidates. “It is nothing but political opportunism. She should not forget that she has  extended support to those who had once announced to bulldoze all statues and memorials set-up by her government,” said Adityanath.