Mayawati rules out joining hands with SP

Earlier, the SP chief suggested that if Lalu Prasad takes initiative, he would not mind joining hands with BSP

In a rebuff to Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP today ruled out joining hands with the Samajwadi Party for the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh soon after the possibility was mooted by the SP chief.

"Whenever SP government comes to power, incidents of crime, communal violence, rape and dacoity, reach their peak. It is the character of this party and if incidents of this nature do not take place then this party will be finished," BSP chief Mayawati said outside Parliament.

"Therefore, keeping all these things in mind, there is no question of joining hands with SP and fighting elections together," she said.

Earlier in the day, the SP chief had suggested that if RJD chief Lalu Prasad takes initiative, he does not mind joining hands with Mayawati-led BSP in Uttar Pradesh.

The RJD chief had recently suggested that the SP and BSP should come together to form a grand alliance to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in UP.

Mayawati said, "Today people in UP are remembering the rule of BSP government and they want that Mayawati government should come back to power to restore the peace and harmony in the state."

"BSP will contest the elections on its own and I am confident that people of the state will help me come back to power in UP without taking any support. When we will come back to power, we will rein in the unlawful elements with a strong hand and put a full stop to the rape incidents," she said.

She blamed both SP and BJP for the communal violence in the state.

"Both SP and and BJP have joined hands covertly and therefore there is no question of joining any other party," she said.