Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday reacted to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati's recent 'chameleon' remark, saying that his party once thought of making her (Mayawati) the Prime Minister and worked in this direction, but her language, in return for all the respect the party and workers (Samawadis) have given her, could be a result of some "external pressure".
Further asserting that the Samajwadis aimed to unite opposition parties. Yadav expressed intentions to fortify the I.N.D.I.A bloc and attract more parties to join.
"Samajwadis tried to bring all the (opposition) parties together. We will try to strengthen the INDIA alliance and make more parties join it. I remember the time when Samajwadis resolved that the Prime Minister should be from the section that has faced the evils of society for several years. Samajwadi Party was dreaming of making (her) the PM, and we worked towards it. But this language... she is talking about 'changing colours'. She must be saying so because of is under pressure," Yadav is heard saying in a video posted by news agency PTI on X (formerly Twitter).
Responding to this statement by Akhilesh Yadav, BSP's Malook Nagar said: "As far as the face of Prime Minister is concerned, Congress should take admonition and listen to Akhilesh Yadav, they should declare a Prime Minister candidate. During UPA's regime from 2004-2014, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati both had cases against them for having disproportionate assets... Uttar Pradesh belongs to those who have the support of SP and BSP, and those who win in UP, will win the country," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
BSP supremo Mayawati declared on Monday that her party would independently contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, opting to steer clear of alliances. During a press conference, she took aim at Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, her previous ally in the 2019 polls, accusing him of exhibiting the adaptability of a "chameleon".
READ | BSP To Contest LS Polls Alone, Akhilesh Changed Colour Like Chamaleon: Mayawati
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati explained that the BSP did not gain advantages from previous alliances, prompting the decision to go solo in the electoral arena. Dismissing rumors of her retirement from politics, she clarified, "Our party (BSP) will go solo in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls".
On her 68th birthday, Mayawati criticised the BJP, asserting that instead of alleviating poverty and generating employment, the party was attempting to bind people by offering free rations. She contrasted this approach with the efforts of her past UP government, emphasising its focus on providing employment to empower the populace.