Mayawati says BJP-SP 'hand in glove' in UP bypolls, calls slogans 'misleading'

NEW DELHI: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday accused the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) of being "hand in glove" ahead of the November 13 bypolls for nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, where the BSP is contesting independently.

In a press conference, Mayawati condemned the slogans of both parties, calling BJP's 'Batenge toh Katenge' and SP's 'Judenge toh Jeetenge' misleading and a diversion from real issues.

Mayawati highlighted her tenure (2007-2012) as better for law and order compared to BJP and SP rule. She promoted her party with the slogan, "BSP se Judenge toh Aage Badhenge, Surakshit Rahenge."

"Ever since the bypolls were announced and the BSP decided to go solo on all nine seats, the BJP-SP alliance has lost its sleep. Except for a couple of bypolls, BSP has not contested byelections here," Mayawati said at the presser.


"They have so far been contesting elections with a mutual understanding, but now with the BSP contesting the bypolls, the troubles of their 'alliance' have increased," she added.

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya responded by distancing BJP from the 'Batenge toh Katenge' slogan, asserting, "We will not let the opposition succeed with its dirty game of calling ‘Batenge toh Katenge’ BJP’s slogan. Our party’s slogan is the one coined by our top leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’."

The slogan was first used by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in Agra in August and was later endorsed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Mayawati urged people not to be swayed by "empty" slogans, stating that BSP's rule was the best. She accused SP of allowing criminals to run the government during its tenure and suggested that SP was discreetly encouraging such elements to help them in the bypolls.

Bypolls in Uttar Pradesh are scheduled for November 13, and votes will be counted on November 23.

The contested seats are in Katehari, Karhal, Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sishamau, Khair, Phulpur, and Kundarki. Eight seats fell vacant as their MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha, while the Sishamau by-election resulted from the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki following a criminal conviction.

In the 2022 Assembly elections, the SP won Sishamau, Katehari, Karhal, Milkipur, and Kundarki. The BJP won Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, and Khair. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won Meerapur.

Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.