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Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati’s decision to not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls raised many eyebrows as it is being interpreted as a move by her to avoid a defeat.
However, the grand alliance is making it clear that Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav are not contesting the polls to lead the high-profile campaign against the BJP in the 80 seats in the State.
Mayawati clarified that she had not contested the polls in 1995 and in 2007, the years she became Chief Minister of the State.
“In view of the present circumstances and the need of the country and the interests of the party, the movement and the public, it is the need of the hour that I do not contest the Lok Sabha polls. And, this is the reason that I have decided not to contest the Lok Sabha polls,” Mayawati said in Lucknow.
When political opponents started using the decision against the alliance, she said in a tweet that there is nothing new in the move. “When I became UP Chief Minister for the first time in 1995, I was not a member of either the UP Assembly or the Council. [So] Don’t get disheartened with my decision not to contest the LS poll now,” she said.
The former member of Rajya Sabha said entering Parliament will not be a problem for her.
“If it so happens that I have to get elected to the Lok Sabha later, I can contest from any seat by getting it vacated and become an MP. I will not face any problem,” she said.
“Winning each and every Lok Sabha seat is more important than my personal victory,” she added.
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