Secret alliance at work to stop BSP from coming to power: Mayawati at Lucknow rally

BSP chief Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday accused the rival political parties of forming a "secret alliance" to prevent her outfit from returning to power in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a rally in Lucknow, Mayawati said that her party's historic win in 2007 — when it formed a full-majority government on its own in UP — alarmed "casteist and capitalist" forces, who then united to block the BSP's progress.

"After the BSP formed a full-majority government in Uttar Pradesh in 2007, the way our government worked for the welfare and happiness of the people... increased our influence across the country. Seeing this, all casteist, narrow-minded and capitalist parties secretly joined hands to ensure that our party never returned to power in the state," Mayawati said.

She alleged that these parties got so scared after her victory that they "made sure that the BSP could neither return to power in Uttar Pradesh nor expand across the country." "In every election — be it Assembly or Lok Sabha — the Congress, BJP, SP and other rival parties have secretly united and used various tactics to stop the BSP. Wherever the BSP was winning, they transferred their votes to defeat us," she said.

"The remaining gap was filled by manipulation in the EVMs. There has been widespread opposition to the EVM system, and given the current situation, it could be scrapped anytime. There is a strong possibility that the paper ballot system may be brought back," she said.

Mayawati exhorted her supporters to strengthen the party's base and be watchful and organised. We must be ready for all upcoming elections, including in Bihar and other states." Naming no outfit in particular, the BSP leader said her rival parties floated new political units to divide the Dalit votes.

"They used selfish and sell-out individuals from within our own society to create many small parties and organisations," she said, and warned her supporters not to fall for them.

"The Congress, BJP, SP and other opposition parties will use every conspiracy and trick to stop us — but we must defeat them with unity and hard work," the four-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.