Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Monday said her party would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own but did not rule out a post-poll alliance.
Talking to reporters at the state party office in Lucknow on her 68th birthday, she also categorically denied reports in a section of the media about her retirement from politics and stressed that she will continue to strengthen the party till her last breath.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also said she has received an invitation for the January 22 consecration ceremony in Ayodhya but a decision on attending it has not been taken yet because of certain party programmes.
Mayawati also cautioned her partymen against Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, saying that he changed colours like a chameleon to mislead them.
She said after the Lok Sabha elections, the BSP can join the government at the Centre on the basis of proper representation to the party.
"The party will not contest the elections in alliance with anyone, but after the polls, unlike the previous times, the party is no longer going to give 'free support' from outside," the BSP chief said.
"Regarding the elections, I want to make it clear again that our party will fight the the Lok Sabha polls alone on the strength of the poor and marginalised sections, especially Dalits, tribals, Muslims and people of other religious minority communities.
"It was on their strength that in 2007, we formed a government with full majority in Uttar Pradesh by contesting the elections alone. Therefore, keeping in mind the past experience, our party will contest the Lok Sabha elections alone," she said.
Rejecting reports of her retirement doing the rounds on social media after she recently made her nephew Akash Anand as her political successor, Mayawati said they are "fake" and have no basis.
"I will continue to strengthen the BSP till my last breath."
Akash Anand was not present at the press conference.
Mayawati clarified that the BSP will keep distance from all parties having casteist, capitalist, and communal views.
"If the Lok Sabha elections are held as free and fair as the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections when there were no irregularities or rigging in EVMs, then our party will bring better results by contesting the polls alone," she said.
Giving reason of not siding with any party or alliance in the upcoming elections, Mayawati said, "Our party is contesting alone because its leadership is in the hands of a Dalit against whom the casteist mentality of most of the parties has not changed yet."
"Many parties want to contest elections in alliance with the BSP...but it is very important for us to look after the interest of our party," she said.
However, the BSP chief said that support can be extended after the elections if there is proper participation but this support will not be given for free.
She alleged that all the opposition parties want to keep the BSP away from power by uniting and adopting various tactics.
Attacking SP president Yadav, Mayawati said, "The SP chief has changed colours like a chameleon to mislead the people of BSP regarding the opposition INDIA alliance. The people of the BSP should be cautious of him also."
The BSP is not part of the opposition INDIA bloc. Although there have been reports that some alliance members have tried to persuade Mayawati to join the grouping, the SP has indicated that it is not keen on this.
Enumerating the achievements of her previous governments, Mayawati also targeted the ruling BJP and said, "The BSP worked for all sections of society during its four terms. At present, no work is visible and people are being enslaved by giving free ration."
"In the past few years, the Central and state governments are doing politics to cover up their shortcomings under the guise of religion and culture and this has weakened the Constitution and democracy of our country," she alleged.
In such a situation, she appealed to all sections of the Bahujan community i.e. Dalits, tribals, extremely backward classes, and Muslims to strengthen the BSP which is their well-wisher.
"BSP workers are also concerned about the reports of tampering with EVMs. However, in such a situation, this system (voting through EVMs) can end here at any time like in foreign countries. We have to continue strengthening the party with all our energy," Mayawati added.
On January 15, BSP leaders and workers celebrate the party chief's birthday as 'Jan Kalyankari Diwas'.
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