Tough for BJP to return to power as its actions don't match its words: Mayawati in rally

Saharanpur: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday claimed that it would not be easy for the ruling BJP to return to power because of the difference in their words and actions.

Beginning her election campaign for western Uttar Pradesh in Saharanpur, Mayawati accused the BJP of lying to the public and working in the interest of the powerful.

"For the past few years, the BJP and its allies have been in power at the Centre and in most of the states. Owing to the casteist, capitalist, narrow and vindictive policies and style of working, and due to the significant difference in their words and actions, it now seems that it would not be easy for them to return to power at the Centre, provided these elections are free and fair." Mayawati said people are not going to fall anymore for the "rhetoric" served by the political parties ahead of the polls and also accused the BJP of doing the "politicisation" of the probe agencies.

Mayawati said that her party is contesting the Lok Sabha elections on its own instead of forging an alliance with any party and has given "appropriate share to all sections of the society" as far as ticket distribution is concerned.

According to the election schedule, eight parliamentary constituencies — Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina (SC), Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit – in UP will vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19.

Counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Earlier in the day, Mayawati accused the other mainstream parties of giving an "ostensible" respect to Dr BR Ambedkar and ignoring his followers.

In a statement, Mayawati said, "For narrow electoral interests, the ostensible respect given to Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, and ignoring his followers, exemplifies the proverb 'mooh mein ram, bagal mein chhuri'. This is an old tradition, and it is still continuing, and it is necessary to remain cautious of this illusion." Speaking about the Congress, she said, the party's 'gharibi hatao' slogan in the 80s remained only a slogan because of lack of intention on its part.

"And now, the same condition prevails under the BJP government as the sky-rocketing inflation, poverty, unemployment and backwardness is worsening the lives of the people," she said.

In a post in Hindi on X, Mayawati paid her tributes to Ambedkar on his birth anniversary and called him "a messiah of millions of poor, exploited, deprived and neglected people of the country."

1. देश के करोड़ों ग़रीबों, शोषितों, वंचितों, उपेक्षितों के मसीहा परमपूज्य बाबा साहेब डा. भीमराव अम्बेडकर को आज उनकी जयन्ती पर शत्-शत् नमन् व अपार श्रद्धा-सुमन अर्पित तथा उनके अनुयायियों से इनके आत्म-सम्मान व स्वाभिमानी मूवमेन्ट के मिशनरी कारवाँ को मंज़िल तक पहुँचाने की अपील।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 14, 2024

"Baba Saheb's mission is incomplete, BSP will complete it. This is not just a slogan but a firm resolve and mission with which the party was formed, and came to power four times in the state. The present Lok Sabha elections too have to be fought with this goal," she said in another post.