The Hindu : Front Page : Mayawati supports UPA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007
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Mayawati supports UPA

Gargi Parsai

Sonia to announce candidate

Mayawati

NEW DELHI: Bahujan Samaj Party president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday announced her party's unequivocal support to the United Progressive Alliance candidate for the Presidential election.

At a press conference here, Ms. Mayawati said she gave the commitment to Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a dinner meeting on Monday. She, however, declined to reveal the name on which there was consensus. Ms. Gandhi would "soon" announce the candidate, she said adding that some names were discussed.

Ms. Mayawati, said she wanted to make it "clear" that her party always struggled "against communal forces" and that was why there was no question of supporting a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate.

Coalitions with the BJP were formed in Uttar Pradesh under special circumstances, she said. "There was no clear mandate. We wanted re-election but people did not want another election to be foisted on them. But the BSP did not allow communal forces to rise and abandon its ideology and principles. If that were not the case, I would not have resigned before the terms were over. Even Mulayam Singh got a chance to cobble up a government because I resigned."

Asked if the Congress president invited her to join the UPA Government now, she said: "In the government formation stage itself, the UPA chairperson invited us. But we decided against joining the UPA or the government. We were for outside support to prevent the NDA and communal parties from coming to power."

Asked if the bonhomie would continue till the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, she said: "We were never enemies. We keep meeting."

Asked whether her party would support Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the Presidential poll, she said there was no question of considering a "second or third person."

Ms. Mayawati denied that she imposed any conditions or made any claims for the Vice-President's post, which is also falling vacant, in lieu of her support to the UPA candidate.

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