The Hindu : Front Page : Congress offered to drop cases in return for tie-up in 2004: Mayawati

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Congress offered to drop cases in return for tie-up in 2004: Mayawati

Atiq Khan

BJP filed “false cases” against me in Taj Heritage Corridor scam

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Saturday said the Congress had sent her strong feelers before the 2004 Lok Sabha elections for forging an electoral understanding at the national level.

“The Congress assured that the Taj Corridor and disproportionate assets cases against me would be withdrawn if it came to power at the Centre,” Ms. Mayawati added.

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government of filing false cases against her in the Taj Heritage Corridor scam, Ms. Mayawati said the BJP too wanted a poll understanding with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh for the 2004 elections. The BJP offered the BSP 20 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the State, but the offer was turned down as a poll pact would have finished the Bahujan movement, Ms. Mayawati said.

In her 90-minute address to the BSP office-bearers at a State-level conference here, Ms. Mayawati said she was not interested in the Congress “offer” due to a bitter experience in the 1996 Assembly elections, which were contested by the BSP and the Congress as alliance partners. The Chief Minister said while the BSP vote was transferred to the Congress candidates, the same was not reciprocated by Congress voters.

She ridiculed Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's meetings with the Dalit families in Uttar Pradesh and eating with them.

‘Negative approach'

Ms. Mayawati accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government and the BJP of a negative approach to the BSP. These parties had resorted to political gimmicks in a bid to halt the progress of the BSP. She cautioned the cadres against the designs of the Opposition.

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