Mayawati shrugs off Rahul, Priyanka as challenges for U.P. CM post

New Delhi: With poll strategist Prashant Kishor willing to project either of the Gandhis (Rahul, Priyanka) to win electorally important Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati on Monday shrugged off the challenge, saying her party will remain unaffected by this. Making it clear that she will be making a solo run to regain power in Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati reminded that people of the state clearly know as to which 'face' can provide best form of law and order to them. "Be it Congress, BJP or Samajwadi party... let them make anyone a chief ministerial candidate in the upcoming elections, the BSP will remain unaffected," Mayawati told reporters here. "The people of Uttar Pradesh clearly know as to which face can provide them best form of law and order and can control crime," she added.

Responding to a poser of a possible challenge from the Gandhis, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said: " They can field anyone they want, but if you ask people in the state, there is only one voice coming out of state that the state is facing a problem of law and order because it has deteriorated and if the Uttar Pradesh has to be saved then BSP's Mayawati should be brought back." Media reports have claimed that the poll strategist Kishor is in favour of either of the Gandhis taking the lead in the U.P. elections and, if they do not agree, a well-known Brahmin face should be projected as the chief ministerial candidate. India's one of the most electorally important state, Uttar Pradesh goes to poll in 2017.