The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first…we have to keep democracy alive, says Mayawati
NEW DELHI (Agencies) — Delighted over Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati’s proposal for a ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) of anti-BJP parties for 2019 general elections, the Congress on Sunday said that the grand old party would also join in the race to oust the saffron party from national politics.
“I am delighted that in her own accord Mayawati has agreed to join this alliance. I think even without the Congress it is already strong enough to take on the BJP. But if the Congress comes into it and I hope it will, then there is no hope for Prime Minister Narendra Modi , except to see him consigned to the books of history,” Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar told ANI.
Addressing her party members on the 126th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, BSP chief Mayawati said that she was open to enter into alliance with any political party to defeat the BJP.
“The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first…we have to keep democracy alive,” she said.
Earlier, amid growing calls for restructuring the Congress after its debacle in UP, Mani Shankar Aiyar on Thursday stressed on the need for forging a “grand alliance” as the party “cannot defeat BJP and Modi alone”.
Aiyar called for forging fresh alliances to take on the BJP and strengthening the party by bringing in young leaders.
“It is very clear that Congress cannot alone take on the BJP. It would be foolish to say that today Congress can alone defeat Modi. But one would be sensible to say that after such results we can win and will win in 2019 polls by fighting him unitedly by forging alliances,” he said.