Alliance with Congress possible only if given respectable number of seats: BSP chief Mayawati

NEW DELHI: Putting an end to all speculations, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said that her party is open to an alliance with Congress only if they are offered a respectable number of seats in the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Mayawati said, “We will align with Congress only if given respectable number of seats in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.”

BSP, which has been at the forefront in attacking the BJP-led Centre, is expected to play a key role in Opposition. In Uttar Pradesh by-polls earlier this year, the party aligned with arch nemesis Samajwadi Party (SP) in an effort to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party – a decision that bore fruits.

Last month, sources told Zee Media that the final seat-sharing formula for 80 Lok Sabha seats in upcoming 2019 national elections has been decided. The BSP and the SP will contest on 30 seats each while the Congress is likely to field its candidates on 10 Lok Sabha seats. The remaining 10 is likely to be distributed among smaller parties like the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). This is yet to be confirmed by the parties.

During the conference, Mayawati also slammed the BJP over mob lynching.

“Mob lynching is a deed of narrow-minded BJP members and supporters, but they consider it patriotism. I condemn the Alwar lynching incident but think that BJP won't be able to take appropriate action in the case. Therefore, I request Court to intervene,” said the BSP chief.

“BJP government will be remembered for taking immature decisions that have led to an increase in incidences of mob lynching of innocent people, giving freedom to commit murders, damaging the democracy in the nation and endangering peoples' lives,” she added.

There have been growing calls of forming a joint Opposition ahead of 2019 general elections to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party.