'Would rather die than benefit BJP': Priyanka Gandhi to SP-BSP alliance

A day after she asserted the Congress will not cut into votes of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said candidates of her party are giving a strong fight to the BJP and she would rather die than benefit the saffron party.

Prayagraj: Congress General Secretary and Eastern Uttar Pradesh incharge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addresses a public rally. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: A day after she asserted the Congress will not cut into votes of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said candidates of her party are giving a strong fight to the BJP and she would rather die than benefit the saffron party. The SP, the BSP and the RLD forged an alliance months before the Lok Sabha polls, but kept out the Congress as there was no agreement on seat-sharing. According to political observers, the anti-BJP vote could get split between the Congress and the UP alliance, benefitting BJP. "I have said very clearly that Congress is fighting this election on its own strength. Our candidates are fighting strongly in most constituencies. I have said that I would rather die than benefit the BJP. I have made it extremely clear in all my research and in all the work that we have done to choose candidates that are strongly fighting or cutting BJP votes," Priyanka, Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, told ANI. Escalating her attack on the BJP she said: "The priority is the country. The priority is to defeat an ideology which is out to destroy this country, to destroy institutions and to destroy everything that makes India democracy". On Wednesday, Priyanka said her party has fielded candidates either with prospects of victory or having potential to damage BJP's chances. "We have carefully chosen candidates so that either Congress wins or they cut into BJP's votes. Congress is not at all cutting into votes of the 'UP gathbandhan'," she said. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav reacted sharply to Priyanka's assertion and termed her statement an "excuse" as the "people are not with them". "I cannot believe in these types of statements. I do not believe that the Congress has fielded weak candidates anywhere. No party does it. People are not with them. That is why they are making excuses," Yadav said on Wednesday. The SP is contesting on 37 seats, the BSP on 38, and the RLD on three as part of a state-wide seat-sharing pact. However, the opposition alliance has decided not put up candidates on Amethi and Rae Bareli seats, traditionally held by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.