Mayawati threatens to reconsider support to Congress govt in Madhya Pradesh

BSP chief Mayawati has threatened to "reconsider" continuing support to the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh after her party candidate from Guna Lok Sabha seat joined the Congress.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi waving at the cameras along with BSP leader Mayawati.(Image: Congress Twitter)

NEW DELHI: BSP president Mayawati Tuesday said she would review support to the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh. The BSP chief's warning came after Lokendra Singh Rajput, the Samajwadi Party-BSP candidate in Guna in Madhya Pradesh, quit the BSP on Monday and came out in support of Congress candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia. Alleging the Congress was misusing the official machinery in Madhya Pradesh, she said, in a tweet, "The Congress is not less than the BJP in misusing the official machinery. The BSP candidate from Guna has been forced by the Congress to pull out of the election race but the BSP will give a reply by fighting on its own symbol and review its support to the Congress government." She further urged people to remain vigilant. "The view of Congress leaders in Uttar Pradesh that even if the BJP wins, the SP-BSP alliance should not win depicts their casteist, narrow attitude and double standards. Therefore, people's belief that it is only our alliance that can defeat the BJP is correct. People need to remain vigilant," she said in another tweet. On Monday, BSP's Guna candidate Lokendra Singh had opted out of the election race. He was pitted against Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Voting in Guna will take place on May 12. In visual clips posted on social media, Lokendra Singh Rajput was seen with Jyotiraditya Scindia, signalling his formal entry into the Congress. "Young candidate Lokendra Singh, by joining the Congress, has given us his support. We welcome him to the Congress family," Scindia tweeted. Mayawati has kept the Congress out of her alliance with Akhileshi Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and Ajit Singh's Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh. In the last year's state Assembly polls, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the 230-member House with 114 seats, two short of the simple majority mark. It formed the government with the support of two legislators of the BSP, one MLA of the Samajwadi Party and four Independents. The BJP won 109 seats in the state polls. (With inputs from agencies)