Lalu backs Mayawati, dubs BJP as anti-Dalit party

Backing Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's decision to resign as Rajya Sabha MP, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday dubbed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as an anti-Dalit party.

"We support Mayawati Ji and if she wants we will again send her to the Rajya Sabha. This behavior of BJP Ministers against Mayawati Ji proves that BJP is an anti-Dalit party," Lalu told ANI.

The BSP chief today resigned from the Rajya Sabha after she was allegedly not allowed to speak on issues of attacks on Dalits and backward class.

"I was not allowed to speak on problems being faced by the Dalits, backward class, weaker sections including farmers and labourers in Uttar Pradesh. Since I was not allowed by the ruling party to raise these issues so, I have decided to give resignation from Rajya Sabha," she told media.

Following her resignation, the BJP said the BSP chief is trying to create unrest in peaceful state.

"Mayawati ji has not contributed for the development of Uttar Pradesh. I would like to ask her not try to create unrest in the peaceful state," Uttar Pradesh Power Minister and BJP leader Shrikant Sharma told ANI.

BJP leader Nalin Kohli lashed out at the BSP chief while saying that Mayawati never endorsed the politics of performance and development.

"If she wants to give resignation then who can stop her.There are three kinds of political thinking. One is of accusations and allegations, one is of excuses and the third is the politics of performance and development. As far as BJP and Modi's government is concerned we are focusing on politics of performance and development,"Kohli told ANI.

He further said the political parties who do not undertake the politics of performance look for politics of excuses and accusations.

"What kind of politics Mayawati is playing that she would be able to tell. If she would have been doing the politics of performance she would not have lost the elections many years ago and thereafter her party would not have been performing badly," he added.