Muslim community shouldn't waste votes on SP: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday ripped into perceived divisions in the Samajwadi Party, saying any support for the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh will benefit the BJP, so the "Muslim community should not waste its vote".

"The Samajwadi Party is divided and this is clearly visible in all of their public programmes. We saw it even today. In such scenario, voting for the ruling party will strengthen the BJP," Mayawati told reporters here.

"The Muslim community should not waste its vote, otherwise it will directly benefit the BJP. This would clearly mean allowing formation of an anti-Dalit, anti-Muslim and anti-poor government in the state," she added.

The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh also took a dig at Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for his efforts to form a "Mahagathbandhan" in the state.

"If the ruling Samajwadi Party had performed in the last five years, SP chief would not have needed to enact the drama of being secular. His efforts to form a Mahagathbandhan is a hollow attempt to create havoc and mislead the people of Uttar Pradesh," she said.

"There seems no reason for the parties to join Mahagathbandhan, as any such move will benefit BJP," she added.

Mayawati said that the Samajwadi Party leaders may try to project a united face, but the fact is that when the election will come, supporters of different leaders will work to defeat the candidates of the rival group.

The BSP supremo also took a dig at the BJP, saying the ruling party at the Centre wants to bring about a 'ghatak' (destructive) change in the state.

"Under the BJP, the democratic values are getting a blow. The country is heading towards dictatorship which can harm the country. So, there is a need to stand against them," she said, adding that even the borders of our country are not safe under this regime.

She said that the BJP is trying to take political mileage out of the current nationalistic fervour in the country.

She also condemned a day's ban on NDTV India TV news channel, saying that the Narendra Modi government is killing democracy to hide its failures of the last two-and-a-half years.

--IANS

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