Mayawati says BSP will maintain ‘complete distance’ from NDA, INDIA bloc for 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Mayawati on Sunday reiterated that  Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will maintain “complete distance” from the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc for next year's Lok Sabha elections.

She also said that her party has to move forward by working on its own strengths.

“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,” the BSP said in a statement on Sunday.

“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.

The BSP supremo urged the 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 statement.

In the party 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.

“….when it comes to issues of public interest and public welfare, the attitude of the BJP and Congress is almost the same, and it is anti-people,” said Mayawati.

She also said that efforts are being made to make the provision of reservation to the SC, ST and OBCs ineffective. Reservation should not be linked to removing unemployment or some cosmetic changes.

“Till the time unequal intentions and policies continue in the government and in society, people will not get the actual benefits of reservation, and this will only exist on paper,” she said.