BJP and Congress 'cut from same cloth', says Mayawati

The BSP chief  accused the BJP and Congress of jointly fighting against the "gathbandhan" (alliance) candidates. 

"Congress and BJP are cut from the same cloth. I urge voters to vote for the gathbandhan candidates instead of Congress and ensure that BJP's defeat is certain," she said in a statement here.

"We all saw how Rahul hugged the Prime Minister in Parliament, both of them are evidently in collusion, but this time, voters are cautious and hence both will be wiped out," she added.

Ms Mayawati also deflated the BJP government's claim of success in getting Masood Azhar designated as global terrorist and said everyone knows how BJP made him a guest and released him during the Kandhahar hijacking crisis.

"But now, during the elections, they are trying to derive political mileage out of it which is condemnable," she said.

Mayawati also criticised the opposition for invoking B.R. Ambedkar during election speeches.

"For BJP, Congress and other parties, Dr Ambedkar could be their vote bank politics but for the BSP, Dr Ambedkar is the soul of respect," Ms Mayawati said.

The BSP president further said that now BJP and other political parties are claiming themselves of being followers of Ambedkar to seek votes, which will never happen. "People know their real intentions and their conspiracy will not be fulfilled," she said.