The Bahujan Samaj Party will contest all assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on its own and would not forge a poll alliance with any party, its chief Mayawati announced on Friday.
Ms. Mayawati, who turned 65 on Friday, said just like 2007, the BSP will form a government in Uttar Pradesh on its own in 2022.
"I have never compromised with principles for the sake of getting power. All BSP workers must unitedly start preparing for these elections," Ms. Mayawati said.
The term of the 403-member UP assembly comes to an end in May, 2022 and that of the 70-member Uttarakhand assembly ends in March 2022.
The BSP leader also urged the Centre to accept all the demands of agitating farmers including repeal of the three farm laws.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, while welcoming the COVID-19 inoculation drive beginning Saturday, requested the Centre to provide the vaccine for free to the common man. She said if that does not happen, then the respective state governments should ensure that people get the vaccine for free.
She said if her party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, then it will ensure that everyone gets tot coronavirus vaccine for free.
According to the government, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities.
Cost of vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government.
Ms. Mayawati also unveiled the 16th volume of her book "A Travelogue of My Struggle Ridden Life and BSP Movement" both in Hindi and English to mark her 65th birthday on Friday.
