Mayawati won’t fight LS poll, but still in PM race

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 20

BSP supremo Mayawati today perplexed the Opposition ranks with her decision to withdraw from the Lok Sabha fray and her remarks that she was still not out of the potential prime ministerial race should numbers favour the anti-BJP camp after the elections.

It all began with Mayawati’s cryptic message to her cadres this morning where she said, “I will not be contesting Lok Sabha elections.”

Lest anyone imputed to her statement motives she didn’t mean, Mayawati later told her workers not to lose heart over her not fighting LS poll now. She also indicated that the race for the PM post was very much open and she was a clear claimant.

“When I became the UP CM for the first time in 1995 I was not member of either UP Assembly or Council. Similarly is the provision at the Centre where a person has to be a Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha member within six months of holding office of minister/PM. Don’t be disheartened by my decision not to contest LS poll now,” Mayawati said on Twitter after her decision not to contest created consternation in BSP camps.

Her clarification triggered a series of reactions from jubilant BSP followers who started hailing Mayawati as “PM material” on Twitter. Only few hours ahead of Mayawati’s clarification on whether she was out of the PM race having decided not to contest, the Congress had projected itself as the beneficiary of the “prevailing anti-BJP sentiment”.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh said, “BSP is a separate political party and this is Mayawati ji’s personal decision. The Congress is the pan-national party which will form a government at the Centre and bring like-minded parties together in a coalition like it did post 2004.”

Mayawati was however quick to puncture Congress’ move of staking an unchallenged claim to the PM’s chair when she pointed out that she could enter LS or RS after the poll and still be in the race for PM.

That said, Mayawati’s withdrawal from the poll fray surprised many leaders both in the Opposition and ruling BJP circles alike.

In the ruling camp leaders one thought was that Mayawati was anticipating a tough LS contest from the BJP; the second thought was perhaps she has reconciled to the surge in nationalist sentiment that could benefit the BJP after Pulwama.

The fact that two Opposition titans have decided not to run for the Lok Sabha - NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and now Mayawati — doesn’t bode well for Opposition unity or morale and certainly doesn’t make good optics.

“This is a psychological dampener and does place the BJP at an advantage to that extent. When your top generals withdraw from the battle, enemy forces are bound to get emboldened even before the battle has begun,” a senior opposition leader said.