Mayawati threatens to reconsider support to MP government

Mayawati

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati on Tuesday said that she would reconsider her party's support to the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh.

Mayawati's warning came after Lokendra Singh Rajput, the Samajwadi Party-BSP candidate in Guna in Madhya Pradesh, quit the BSP on Monday and came out in support of Congress candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia.

In visual clips posted on social media, Lokendra Singh Rajput, wearing a garland, was seen with Jyotiraditya Scindia, signalling his formal entry into the Congress.

"Young candidate Lokendra Singh, by joining the Congress, has given us his support. We welcome him to the Congress family," Scindia tweeted.

A furious Mayawati tweeted that she would reconsider her support to the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, which has a slim majority.

If Mayawati decides to withdraw support from the Kamal Nath-led government, the Congress majority will get slimmer in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP president Mayawati on last week said the people of the country do not want a government which asks educated youth to sell pakoras and tea and adopts "anti-people" policies.

The BSP president tweeted, "130 crore people, especially the educated youth and unemployed, do not want a government which has wrong thinking and instead of providing jobs forces them to sell pakoras and tea and do chowkidar and adopts similar anti-peoples policies."

In another tweet, she made an appeal to voters to take part in the ongoing polling for the third phase. "Vote is your invaluable constitutional right on the basis of which you can ensure a government of your choice which is in your interest and make your lives happy and prosperous," she said. Polling is underway in 10 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to keep his promises made to the people of Uttar Pradesh, BSP President Mayawati on Sunday said that those who voted him to power can also throw him out. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister tweeted: "PM Modi listened to his Mann ki Baat and did what he wanted. He selfishly declared his own caste as backwards. But the BSP, SP and RLD listened to people's Mann ki Baat and respecting it formed an alliance in the interest of the country. While the people are excited about this alliance, the BJP is clearly frustrated."

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