'SP will also fight UP by-polls alone' says Akhilesh after Mayawati temporarily snaps ties

Mayawati had said her decision to contest separately for by-elections should not be seen as a permanent break from her alliance with SP.

BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav. (PTI file photo)

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that his party will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh by-elections alone if the partnership with Bahujan Samaj Party doesn’t continue. In a carefully-worded statement, Yadav said he respects & welcomes the decision of Mayawati pulling the plug on the alliance and to go solo in by-polls. “If the coalition has broken, I will reflect deeply on it & if the coalition isn't there in the by-elections, then Samajwadi Party will prepare for the elections. SP will also fight on all 11 seats alone.” The former chief minister’s comments come after Mayawati said she was taking a break from her partnership with the Samajwadi Party. "It is not a permanent break," she explained, adding her relations with Akhilesh and Dimple Yadav will remain intact.

BSP Chief Mayawati on SP-BSP coalition: It's not a permanent break. If we feel in future that SP Chief succeeds in his political work, we'll again work together. But if he doesn't succeed, it'll be good for us to work separately. So we've decided to fight the by-elections alone. pic.twitter.com/VP20N4zL4Y

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 4, 2019

She said that the Yadav voters had not supported the alliance and her party has not benefitted with the base vote of Samajwadi Party. Laying the blame on SP, Mayawati today said, "the base vote of Samajwadi Party, the Yadav community, didn't support the party. Even strong contenders of SP were defeated."

BSP Chief Mayawati on SP-BSP coalition: However, we can't ignore political compulsions. In the results of Lok Sabha elections in UP, base vote of Samajwadi Party, the 'Yadav' community, didn't support the party. Even strong contenders of SP were defeated https://t.co/jt00Ca8scE

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 4, 2019

Mayawati said her decision to contest separately for by-elections should not be seen as a permanent break from her alliance with SP. "The alliance on larger level is intact but will have to review and part ways if Akhilesh Yadav is unable to convince his cadre to work like BSP's" she said today. The SP-BSP coalition had won 15 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh of which the BSP had got 10 seats and SP secured the remaining five.