Behenji can sense her defeat in UP: BJP

Accusing Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati of attempting to communalize the situation in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday highlighted the atrocities against Dalits during her rule and expressed confidence of forming the government in the politically crucial state next year.

BJP leader Shrikant Sharma said the BSP supremo is trying to communalize the situation as she can sense her defeat in Uttar Pradesh yet again.

"More than 30,000 cases of Dalit atrocities came to light and 1,100 Dalits were murdered in the state right under the rule of Behenji. But time is now changing in Uttar Pradesh and Behenji can read very clearly that her defeat is written on the wall. The BJP will form the government with full majority in Uttar Pradesh," Sharma told ANI.

Sharma further said that next year's polls will be contested on the basis of development and not on caste and nepotism.

Echoing similar sentiments, Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said that the BSP supremo should introspect her deeds rather than pinning blame on others.

"The BJP doesn't believe in communal politics. Our only agenda is development of Uttar Pradesh and we will go ahead with it in the state. And such statements are not in favor of the country and the people," he said.

Hitting out at the BJP, Mayawati earlier said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has miserably failed in fulfilling the promises made to the nation in the run up to the 2014 general election and added that demonetisation was aimed at diverting attention from the failures.

Asserting that not even one-fourth of the promises made by the BJP during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections have been fulfilled till date, the BSP chief said the people are frustrated with the saffron party as a result of which the Amit Shah-led party has realised that they stand no chances in Uttar Pradesh.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also reached out to the Muslim community, saying they must be careful so that the BJP is not successful in its desperate attempt to conquer the throne of Lucknow.

She also alleged that the Centre with the help of Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax (IT) Department and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is building pressure on Samajwadi Party boss Mulayam Singh Yadav to form an alliance with the Congress for next year's assembly polls.