Back Congress, defeat BJP: Mayawati to voters

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday appealed voters in Amethi and Rae Bareli parliamentary constituencies to vote for the Congress, and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of practicing "divide and rule" policy to bring down the SP-BSP alliance.

She clarified her decision to support the Congress in Amethi and Rae Bareli was not because of any soft feeling towards it but was an attempt to "remove" the BJP from the power.

The former UP Chief Minister maintained that both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress were the two sides of the same coin and didn't deserve to return to power.

"I have asked my supporters to vote for the Congress in Amethi and Rae Bareli. The BJP and the Congress are the same. We have not no coalition with the Congress, but our supporters will vote for the Congress in Amethi and Rae Bareli to defeat the BJP," Mayawati said in a BSP press note.

Her announcement has come just a day ahead of the polling in Amethi and Rae Bareli on Monday. Congress President Rahul Gandhi is fighting from Amethi, while his mother and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is the candidate from Rae Bareli.

She also accused the Prime Minister of trying to use "divide and rule" policy to bring down the SP-BSP alliance. "Ever since we announced our alliance, the Prime Minister has gone into a panic mode. His latest comments are nothing but an attempt to break the alliance," Mayawati told the media at her home.

"In the four phases of elections, the people has supported the SP-BSP coalition. It is disturbing the BJP. This alliance will not only produce a new Prime Minister at the Centre but also a new government in UP."

Modi on Saturday had attacked the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, saying Mayawati knew that she had been betrayed by the Samajwadi Party, which has been working hand-in-hand with the Congress.

Addressing a poll rally in Pratapgarh Lok Sabha constituency, the Prime Minister had said the Akhilesh-led party kept promising Mayawati of support as prime ministerial candidate, but behind her back they worked with the Congress to betray her.

--IANS

rag/rak/rs/pcj