'Voting for BSP a waste of vote as it's helping BJP'

‘Voting for BSP a waste of vote as it’s helping BJP’

LUCKNOW: For the first time in this election, Samajwadi Party accused Mayawati-led BSP of being hand in glove with the BJP. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav not only directly accused the BSP of helping the BJP but stated that voting for BSP in the Lok Sabha polls will be a waste of one’s vote.

“I appeal to the people of our Bahujan Samaj that you have to vote to defeat the BJP and voting in favour of BSP will be as good as wasting your vote,” Akhilesh said.

1st time in LS campaign, Akhilesh accuses BSP of siding with BJP

“In some places, BSP is indirectly helping BJP while in some constituencies the party has come to its rescue openly. I appeal to the people of our Bahujan Samaj that you have to vote to defeat the BJP and voting in favour of BSP will be as good as wasting your vote,” Akhilesh said at a rally in Kannauj on Monday.

After the 2022 UP elections, SP had described the BSP as the B team of BJP and Akhilesh Yadav had accused Mayawati’s party of giving tickets to candidates whose names were finalized in BJP office. In the Lok Sabha polls, SP had until now refrained from accusing the BSP of siding with the BJP, apparently to avoid hurting the sentiments of Dalits voters who are weighing the option between Akhilesh and Mayawati.

Senior SP functionaries said Akhiesh’s allegation was “neither unfounded and nor devoid of facts”. Even a novice in politics can understand what Behenji (Mayawati) is up to, said a senior SP member. “BSP has the right to field candidates of its choice but the way it has chosen them, positioning itself as a rival of BJP is laughable,” said the SP functionary.

He cited the example of Rampur where BSP candidate Zeshan Khan campaigned with photograph of SP’s Azam Khan. This, when Azam Khan, who is still a part of SP, has not fielded a candidate of his choice from the seat and had to keep away from elections as he is in jail serving a conviction in a criminal case. SP strategists are not pleased with BSP fielding Muslims candidates on at least 15 seats.

“That’s just one instance. In Mainpuri, sitting SP MP Dimple Yadav is up against BJP’s Jaiveer Singh and BSP has fielded Shiv Pratap Yadav. In Aonla, SP’s Neeraj Maurya is in fray and BSP has fielded Abid Ali who was earlier with the SP. In Sitapur, Basti and even Kannauj, BSP candidates will benefit BJP more than their own party,” said an SP member.

What apparently triggered outrage from the SP on Monday was BSP decision to cancel the candidature of Dhananjay Singh’s wife Shrikala in Jaunpur and field SS Yadav. Nominating a Yadav will only benefit the BJP, believes SP.

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