Mayawati again blasts both BJP, Congress

Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), April 8 (IANS) BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday again targeted the Modi government and the Congress, asking the people to shun them both and vote for the BSP-SP-RLD alliance in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a campaign rally in support of alliance candidate Haji Yaqub Qureshi here, Mayawati said that both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress had deceived people in the past and it was time to change the government in Delhi.

"Like the Congress, the BJP is also using CBI to grind its own axe," said the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

"They are trying to nail opposition leaders by using various government agencies. Since the country's Independence, the voters have already tried governments of both Congress and BJP and also some other parties. So, there is no more need to try them."

This was the second straight day of Mayawati's attack on both the BJP and the Congress. Speaking a day earlier at Deoband, she asked voters not to vote for Congress candidates who she said would only end up splitting anti-BJP votes in the state.

On Monday, Mayawati said the "Jai Bheem" brigade will ensure that BJP candidates forfeit their security deposit in the Lok Sabha elections.

She said: "There has been a rise in atrocities against the Dalits, especially in the states where the BJP is in power. The 10 per cent reservation is not going to benefit the upper caste poor."

Slamming the Modi government over demonetization and Goods and Services Tax (GST), Mayawati said: "Both were introduced without proper preparations. This led to a rise in unemployment and poverty in the country. Small and medium-level businessmen have been badly hit by these moves, and the country's economy has been adversely hit."

Mayawati said India's borders were not safe and terror activities were on the rise.

Talking about the BJP's poll promises made in 2014, she said: "People are still waiting Rs 15 lakh in their accounts and the unemployed youth didn't get jobs.

"Similarly, the Rs 6,000 a month promised by the Congress will do no good to the poor. If we come to power, we will provide regular jobs to the poor instead of Rs 6,000."