BJP chose to keep its cards close to the chest on the issue of joining hands with Mayawati's BSP to form the next government.
NEW DELHI: As early trends showed BSP surging ahead of other parties in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, BJP on Friday chose to keep its cards close to the chest on the issue of joining hands with Mayawati's party to form the next government.
"We had a coalition with BSP three times. We have said we are not supporting or seeking support (from BSP). Unless the situation is clear, we cannot change our stand minute to minute," BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said.
He said BJP leaders will meet in the evening after all the results are out and the picture is clear to discuss the situation.
To a question whether the BJP was ready to sit in the opposition, he parried a direct reply, saying in a triangular contest it was difficult to say who would emerge as a clear winner.
Javadekar described the elections as a vote against the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, but said the people chose either BSP or BJP to ventilate their anger against the Samajwadi Party.
Asked whether the UP election results would have a bearing on national politics, he said it would definitely have ramifications at the Centre.
BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the verdict was against the SP and the Congress-led Government at the Centre. "The verdict is certainly not for President's rule," he said.
Shiv Sena member from Rajya Sabha Sanjay Raut said the upper caste votes also helped Mayawati in securing so many seats in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
"The Upper caste votes have also helped. In fact the BSP got support from all castes going by Mayawati's performance," he said.
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the indications suggested that people from Uttar Pradesh have voted for Mayawati.
Anyway the BJP will hold a meeting this evening to give a structured response to the outcome of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Prasad said.
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