Date:02/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/02/stories/2008070254611200.htm

National

Not moving towards BJP: Mayawati

Atiq Khan

LUCKNOW: Amid reports of a possible Congress-Samajwadi Party tie-up on the India-nuclear deal and beyond, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday scotched rumours of the Bahujan Samaj Party moving towards the Bharatiya Janata Party. She emphasised that the “BSP has had no pre-poll alliance with the saffron party and will have none in the future.”

Following BJP leader L.K. Advani’s utterances on Uttar Pradesh at a June 27 public meeting in Kanpur, the Congress and the SP have charged Ms. Mayawati with entering into an understanding with the saffron party.

Accusing the Congress and the SP of launching a malicious propaganda against her party to harm its political interests, Ms. Mayawati said both were worried at the prospect of Muslims shifting to her party on the controversial nuclear deal issue.

Ms. Mayawati claimed that Muslims were opposed to the nuclear deal.