Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Thursday said hit out at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Republic Party of India leader and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, claiming they have become “”.
Both Mayawati, who served as Uttar Pradesh chief minister for four terms, and Athawale are among the prominent Dalit leaders in the country.
Earlier, the BSP chief took a swipe at the Opposition alliance — INDIA — terming it ‘anti-poor’.
Speaking to reporters after arriving in Mumbai for the meeting of the Opposition alliance, which begins later on Thursday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader said, “These two (Athawale and Mayawati) leaders have become non-entities in Indian politics. Their views or opinions are no longer relevant.”
After her dig at the Opposition alliance, Athawale said on Wednesday he would welcome Mayawati if she decided to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, he added that the eventual decision would be taken by the BJP top brass.
Athawale’s party is a partner in the NDA.
However, the BSP supremo on Wednesday dismissed speculations around her joining the ruling or the Opposition bloc, saying her party will go it alone in the Lok Sabha elections next year.
“Like 2007, the BSP will contest the next general elections and the elections to four state assemblies on its own steam. We would take along crores of neglected citizens in spirit of brotherhood and not through ‘jugaad’ and manipulation like our opponents,” Mayawati posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday.
She also urged the media not to spread “fake news” on the BSP joining INDIA.
Lashing out at both the ruing and Opposition alliances, Mayawati dubbed them “anti-poor, casteists and capitalists”. (ANI)
