 "Mayawati")
Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo Mayawati is confident of winning the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections that will be held in early 2017. With the split deepening in the Samajwadi Party due to a conflict between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, Mayawati appears sure of BSP's win.
In an interview with Economic Times, Mayawati said she has full support of Muslims and has left the Bharatiya Janata Party worried.
10 big takeaways from Mayawati's interview:
SP Split
The Samajwadi Party is breaking up and the BJP, too, has been unnerved by this. The break up of SP is not good for the BJP but it all bodes very well for the BSP, she said.
Several leaders even within the BJP are of the view that Akhilesh Yadav walking out of the shadow of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle Shivpal, and getting the support of the Congress and Janata Dal United’s Nitish Kumar, would be bad news for the BJP for years to come. The split would divide the SP vote and would help the BSP in the forth coming polls.
Muslim vote
With the divide in SP, Mayawati claims that the votes of the Muslim community have fully shifted to BSP. With the Dalit community backing her, Mayawati is wooing SP's core voter base and has already given tickets to over 100 Muslim candidates.
With the divide in SP, Mayawati claims that the votes of the Muslim community have fully shifted to BSP. With the Dalit community backing her, Mayawati is wooing SP's core voter base and has already given tickets to over 100 Muslim candidates.
Modi wave
Mayawati termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Mahoba a 'flop show'. The area is in the Bundelkhand region, which is a confluence of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (BJP is in power in MP). Mayawati said, "And the PM made a mockery of himself by talking about SP-BSP friendship. People can see through this."
Mayawati termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Mahoba a 'flop show'. The area is in the Bundelkhand region, which is a confluence of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (BJP is in power in MP). Mayawati said, "And the PM made a mockery of himself by talking about SP-BSP friendship. People can see through this."
Triple talaq
Mayawati has made it clear the government should not interfere and let Muslims decide on the triple talaq issue. For her, law and order is the foremost thing.
Mayawati has made it clear the government should not interfere and let Muslims decide on the triple talaq issue. For her, law and order is the foremost thing.
Triple talaq will be one of the key issues in the UP polls with many leaders demanding its abolition and asking for gender equality.
Surgical strike
The BJP is trying to take political mileage by taking credit for the surgical strikes by Indian Army across the LoC, said Mayawati. She is of the view that Army should be credited for it and BJP should instead focus on the situation on the LoC .
The BJP is trying to take political mileage by taking credit for the surgical strikes by Indian Army across the LoC, said Mayawati. She is of the view that Army should be credited for it and BJP should instead focus on the situation on the LoC .
Jumla
Mayawati made it clear that Modi jumla's won't work in the UP polls. "Ab Modi ki (unki) jumlebaazi nahi chalegi (Modi’s slogans and one-liners won’t work now)," she said adding that people are observing all what is happening.
Mayawati made it clear that Modi jumla's won't work in the UP polls. "Ab Modi ki (unki) jumlebaazi nahi chalegi (Modi’s slogans and one-liners won’t work now)," she said adding that people are observing all what is happening.
BJP's campaign pitch
Mayawati questioned BJP's election campaign pitch and asked whether they considered the people of Uttar Pradesh foolish. In a meeting in Etawah, BJP President Amit Shah talked of bringing back Kalyan Singh's rule in UP wherein the government lasted for only two-and-a-half years and President's Rule was imposed in the state.
Mayawati questioned BJP's election campaign pitch and asked whether they considered the people of Uttar Pradesh foolish. In a meeting in Etawah, BJP President Amit Shah talked of bringing back Kalyan Singh's rule in UP wherein the government lasted for only two-and-a-half years and President's Rule was imposed in the state.
Alliance with Congress
The BSP has nothing do with the Congress and they have been thrown out of the power because of corruption allegations, she said.
The BSP has nothing do with the Congress and they have been thrown out of the power because of corruption allegations, she said.
Industrial growth in UP
If elected, Mayawati will work towards meeting the state's energy needs as industries need uniterrupted power supply. Mayawati said business people have always liked her administration because of law and order. She is sure that industry and business will automatically follow to the state.
If elected, Mayawati will work towards meeting the state's energy needs as industries need uniterrupted power supply. Mayawati said business people have always liked her administration because of law and order. She is sure that industry and business will automatically follow to the state.
