BSP to maintain complete distance from NDA & INDIA bloc: Mayawati

Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday reiterated her stand to maintain “complete distance” from the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc for next year’s Lok Sabha elections and said that the party has to move forward by working on its own strengths.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, the UP unit of the BSP said, ‘BSP chief and former UP chief minister Mayawati held a discussion with senior and responsible people of the party regarding the preparedness of the party for upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the preparedness of the party in Uttar Pradesh and in Uttarakhand, and to increase the party’s mandate.’

‘During the discussion, she once again made it clear that Bahujan Samaj Pary (BSP) has to work by strengthening itself, while maintaining complete distance from the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc,’ the statement said.

Mayawati urged party members to be alert to fake news, and said that anti-BSP elements are still engaged in propaganda and political conspiracy.

‘So, precaution has to be taken at every level, so that our election preparedness is not affected,’ she said.

In the meeting, Mayawati took note of BJP government’s “new election strategy” but said that people are still facing issues such as inflation, extreme poverty, unemployment, decrease in income, bad condition of roads, law and order, and poor health and educational facilities.

But it is unclear if these problems will become serious election issues, she said.