BJP used money, muscle power to win: SP & BSP

LUCKNOW: The Bahujan Samaj Party on Friday summed up party candidate Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s defeat in Rajya Sabha polls as a result of BJP’s anti-dalit strategy backed by blatant misuse of money and muscle power. The Samajwadi Party also joined the chorus and pointed fingers at BJP for anomalies in counting of votes.
“The ruling anti-dalit BJP used its administrative machinery and money power to ensure the defeat of BSP candidate Bhim Rao Ambedkar,” said BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra.
Referring to BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari and SP legislator Hari Om Yadav being denied a chance to vote, he said, “The state government got a stay from the court to stop them from voting by hiding facts.” It was blatant misuse of government authority, he said and added that the counting of votes was also fudged.
Senior BSP leader Lalji Verma also targeted Yogi government and alleged that the vote of BSP MLA Anil Singh was deliberately declared valid even though he did not show it to party’s polling agent as per rule. “If this is not misuse of power then what is,” said Verma.
The two BSP leaders did not say a word on the prospects of continuing the alliance with SP after the defeat.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s close aide MLC Udaiveer Singh said that the party did everything it could to ensure victory of BSP candidate but BJP used its might to manipulate the polling process. “Jailed MLAs were allowed to vote in Jharkhand. Mukhtar has voted in all previous elections, be it that of president or vicepresident. It was only this time that he was not allowed to vote,” Singh said. “Ballot papers of some MLAs who had voted for BSP candidate were snatched and torn but no cognizance was taken,” he said.
In what is being seen as an attempt to drive a wedge between SP and BSP, during interaction with media after BJP victory, CM Yogi Adityanath cautioned BSP against allying with SP. “Khai mein girne se achchha hai ki woh (BSP) sambhal jayein...(Its better for them to realise that they are going to fall in an abyss),” said Yogi.
He was apparently pointing at SP candidate Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan receiving a total of 39 votes, two more than necessary for win, instead of casting spare votes for BSP.