"BSP will contest Rajasthan and MP assembly polls alone," Mayawati announced giving a major setback to the Opposition unity. This means the BSP will contest all the 230 Assembly seats in the central state on its own.
She accused the Congress of trying to "finish" the BSP, saying the grand old party is more interested in destroying her party than uprooting the BJP.
On why the alliance between Congress and BSP did not materialize in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya had laid blame in the interview on the Dalit leader saying she is "under immense pressure from PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah" who have put investigative agencies like the CBI and Enforcement Directorate behind her.
"I was told her brother Anand was also called for interrogation, "
Digvijaya, however, said the alliance can't be ruled out and there is scope for further negotiations regarding which state party leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia are still in talks. "Nobody knows what decision Maywati might take in future. She is a highly capable and a good political leader. She respects Congress party a lot. The alliance will benefit each other."
Instantly after her announcement, the Congress rushed to address a press conference giving evident signs of cajoling her. "At times, out of emotions, sweet & bitter things are said. But at last, if Mayawati ji holds absolute trust in Rahul Gandhi & Sonia Gandhi then other creases can be ironed out," said Randeep Surjewala, Congress spokesperson.
According to survey published in the Congress mouthpiece, The National Herald, it was revealed that the party's return in Madhya Pradesh would only be possible if it stitched an alliance with BSP in the upcoming elections.
The Congress, seeking to resuscitate itself in Madhya Pradesh, had courted the BSP for a tie-up. However, the Mayawati-led party dashed the Congress's hopes by announcing its first list of 22 candidates on September 20.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath had said his party was keen to join hands with the like-minded parties such as the BSP for taking on the BJP. The Congress MP had also met BSP supremo Mayawati on July 15, as per news agency PTI.
It seems that after the BSP announced its first list of candidates, the LJD has now set the ball rolling for talks on the anti-BJP alliance. LJD mentor Sharad Yadav, who originally hails from Madhya Pradesh, has been trying hard to cobble up the Congress-led opposition, reported PTI.