Forget differences and ensure victory, Mayawati to BSP, SP workers
Lucknow, Jan 15 (IBNS): BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday appealed to the workers of her party as well as those of the SP to forget their past differences and work together to ensure victory in the coming general elections.
Holding a news conference on her 63rd birthday, Mayawati said: "Forget past differences and make sure all joint candidates of the SP and the BSP win. This will be my ideal birthday gift."
The SP and the BSP have joined hands to fight the next general elections together.
"UP decides who will come to power in the centre and who will be Prime Minister," she said.
On Monday, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD met both Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav and said his party backed their alliance.
The SP-BSP alliance:
Out of 80 Lok Sabha seats, the SP and BSP will fight in 38 seats each. Both the parties will not field any candidate in Amethi and Rae Bareli seats, which are traditionally the Congress' strongholds.
The SP and BSP will also not fight in two other seats, which have been left out for other regional parties.
Why SP and BSP did not go with Congress:
Citing 1996 polls, Mayawati, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, clearly stated the Congress does not transfer its votes to allies.
The SP had experienced the same during the 2017 state polls, she added.
Congress to go solo
The Congress has already announced it will fight in all 80 parliamentary seats of Uttar Pradesh.
Uttering no bitter word against Akhilesh-Mayawati duo, Congress chief Rahul on Saturday said: "I respect Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati's decision. It is a political decision. They must have taken the decision with a clear thought."
Mayawati picture from @yadavakhilesh on Twitter
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