People want 'mazboot', not 'majboor' govt: UP Dy-CM

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya Monday said the people want a "mazboot" (strong) and not a "majboor" (helpless) government at the Centre.

He also asserted that a grand alliance between the SP, the BSP and the Congress will have no impact on the BJP's electoral prospects in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"The victory of the BJP in Yadav-dominated polling booths in 2014 and 2017 is an indicator that members of the community in Uttar Pradesh are not with 'avsarwaad' (opportunists), but with 'rashtrawaad (nationalists) and 'vikaswaad' (development oriented people)," he told PTI.

Maurya's remark came after the Samajwadi Party (SP) said it was keen on cobbling together an alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to checkmate the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

The state sends the highest number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

Claiming that the BJP had "full support" of the backward communities, Maurya said, "With (prime minister) Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs, backward communities are feeling proud and encouraged."
"I think, this time in 2019, we will get better response from them than we got in 2014 and 2017," he said
On SP legislator Shivpal Yadav constituting the Samajwadi Secular Morcha and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav sharing stage with son Akhilesh Yadav, he said, "Such developments will continue to take place and it will not have any effect on the BJP. We will win with the help of our workers."
On the BJP holding a OBC conference in Lucknow and the opposition's allegation that it was dabbling in caste politics, he said, "Those who rose with casteist politics should not preach the BJP."