Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday said she will not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, PTI reported. She said she had taken the decision with the “current political situation” in mind.
“In view of the present circumstances and the need of the country and the interests of the party, the movement and the public, it is the need of the hour that I do not contest the Lok Sabha polls,” she said.
“I know I can win from any seat,” Mayawati said at a press conference in Lucknow, News18 reported. “All that I have to do is to file my nomination and my party workers will take care of the rest. We have a strong alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal and Samajwadi Party to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party.”
However, Mayawati added: “It is more important for us to win more seats than for me to win one. I had earlier resigned from Rajya Sabha to keep our movement alive, but keeping in mind the current political situation, I have decided not to contest the Lok Sabha elections.”
Mayawati said it would not be a problem if she needed to enter Parliament later. “If it so happens that I have to get elected to the Lok Sabha later, I can contest from any seat by getting it vacated and become an MP,” she said. “I will not face any problem.”
Apart from Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have formed an alliance in Maharashtra to contest all 48 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress is not part of the alliance in either state. The 2019 General Elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, and the results declared on May 23.
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