India

Mayawati Springs No-Contest Surprise, Says Will Focus On Alliance

By
OB Bureau

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati sprang a surprise on Wednesday when she announced she would not contest the Lok Sabha polls.

“Our coalition is doing good… I can vacate a seat and contest for the Lok Sabha later if I want,” Mayawati announced at a hurriedly-called press conference here. “But for the good of the country and the people, I don’t want to contest the polls right now,” she said.

She said her party has a strong alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Samajwadi Party and it is more important for the alliance to win more seats than for her to win one. In the 2014 general elections, the BSP had fought from 503 Lok Sabha seats but drew a blank. Mayawati had served as a Rajya Sabha MP till recently.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will be held from April 11 to May 19 and the votes will be counted on May 23.

OB Bureau

Recent Posts

‘Kalki Avatar’ Row In Odisha: GA, BDA Officials Inspect Bhubaneswar Ashram

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a controversy triggered by reports about a boy being projected…

November 18, 2024

[Watch] Contestant Mocking Deepika Padukone’s Mental Health On Comedy Show Is Not Funny, Say Angry Fans

New Delhi: A contestant appearing to mock actor Deepika Padukone's battle with depression on Samay…

November 18, 2024

Former Odisha Minister & Senior BJP Leader Samir Dey Passes Away; CM Announces State Funeral

Cuttack: Senior BJP leader and former minister Samir Dey breathed his last on Monday while…

November 18, 2024

Maharashtra Elections: In A Politically Splintered State, Will Independents Be The Game Changer?

Mahayuti vs Maha Vikas Aghadi - it's an electoral Mahabharat in Maharashtra, albeit a lot…

November 18, 2024

No Pressure: AAP’s Kailash Gahlot After Joining BJP; ‘He’s A Free Man,’ Says Kejriwal

New Delhi: Former Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Kailash Gahlot, who resigned from the…

November 18, 2024

Kharagpur-Visakhapatnam Expressway Through Odisha Soon: Minister

Bhubaneswar: A greenfield highway connecting Kharagpur in West Bengal and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh will…

November 18, 2024

‘Randi Pua Ananta’ Row: Actor Manoj Mishra Seeks Apology From People Of Odisha, Says ‘No Intention To Question Fakir Mohan’

Bhubaneswar: Maintaining his opinion regarding the title of Sabyasachi Mohapatra’s upcoming film, ‘Randi Pua Ananta’— based…

November 18, 2024

Owner, Manager Arrested A Day After 3 Engineering Students Drown In Mangaluru Resort’s Swimming Pool

New Delhi: A day after three women students drowned in the swimming pool of a…

November 18, 2024