Struggle against UPA's economic policies will continue: Mayawati

‘Support on cut motion and the CBI case are unrelated'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati during a press conference in Lucknow. The BSP with 21 MPs in the Lok Sabha, decided to support the Govt to defeat the cut motions. File Photo: PTI

Notwithstanding her support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government on the cut motion on the Finance Bill in Parliament, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday made it clear that there would be no let-up in her party's opposition to the Centre on the price rise issue.

Ms. Mayawati also rubbished speculation here on Tuesday that her move was influenced by the Central Bureau of Investigation agreeing to review the disproportionate assets case against her.

“The Taj Corridor and the disproportionate assets cases were filed against me when the NDA [National Democratic Alliance] government was in power at the Centre. Moreover, after the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the BSP decided to give unconditional outside support to the UPA government. The decision to support the UPA government on the cut motion and the CBI case are unrelated,” she said.

The Chief Minister said her decision was influenced by the need to prevent communal forces from returning to power at the Centre. “Logically, the BSP should have voted against the UPA government, but since it would have paved the way for communal forces to return to power it was decided to oppose the cut motion.”

Until Monday, the talk was that the BSP would support the UPA by abstaining from the Lok Sabha. Sources said the BSP chief reworked her strategy and decided on open support following reports that the Samajwadi Party would “disrupt the House proceedings.”

On the issue of price rise, Ms. Mayawati lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of guarding the “interests of the capitalist class and the rich, who have prospered at the cost of the poor and the downtrodden.”

Indicating that the struggle against the UPA government would continue, she stressed the need for the Centre to change its economic policies for the betterment of the people.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BSP and the Congress are engaged in a struggle of political ascendancy in view of the 2012 Assembly elections.

While the ongoing Congress yatras in the State have targeted the Mayawati government, she said the BSP considered the Congress its number one political adversary and that Tuesday's decision had not diluted her stand against the Centre.