Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati bought time on Wednesday to decide whether to continue support to the UPA government, though she said its performance was “unsatisfactory” and its “anti-people” measures caused “several problems.” In the same breath, she asserted that the party was ready for snap Lok Sabha polls.
The BSP national executive and Parliamentary Party met here and authorised her to take a final call “at an appropriate time.”
In September, Ms. Mayawati said a decision on continuing support would be taken on October 10 after the Congress-led government increased diesel price, capped the number of subsidised LPG cylinders for domestic users and allowed foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.
But after Wednesday’s meeting, Ms. Mayawati, also chairperson of the BSP Parliamentary Party, told reporters here that a decision could not be taken on Wednesday as all leaders and workers were busy with the party’s rally held on Tuesday. But the decision would not be delayed and would be taken after considering all aspects. “Till the time a decision is made, steps will be taken to expose the anti-people measures of the UPA government through cadre camps, dharnas and processions and small meetings, and pressure will be mounted on the Centre to withdraw the unpopular measures.”
The meeting, she said, discussed important issues facing the country before leaving the decision to her. The BSP had backed the UPA government in the hope of weakening the communal forces and benefitting the “sarv samaj.” “However, the UPA’s performance has been unsatisfactory; it is embroiled in its own problems. The anti-people measures have hit farmers, labourers and traders the most; the economy is a shambles and no steps have been taken to rein in corruption.” Simultaneously, Ms. Mayawati expressed the party’s readiness for the Lok Sabha elections, even if they were held before 2014.