Since 2004, Mayawati has not fought any election

Shahira Naim
Tribune New Service
Lucknow, March 22

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BSP president Mayawati, who has declared not to contest the Lok Sabha polls, has not contested any election – Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha — since 2004 when she won the Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat.

Twelve years ago, on March 13, 2007,  she first made a formal announcement  not to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections so that she could  focus on the battle ahead and ensure a majority for the BSP.

True to her word, her single-minded dedication brought her party a historic victory, breaking the jinx of heading governments in alliance with the saffron party. Soon after becoming CM, Mayawati  resigned her Lok Sabha seat from Ambedkar Nagar, became a member of the  Vidhan Parishad and ruled UP from 2007 to 2012.

Even in 2009 when she was projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Left-led alliance, she chose not to contest the parliamentary elections. She did not contest the 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections which her party lost after which she moved to Delhi as a Rajya Sabha MP.

On July 18, 2017 with nine months left for her tenure to end, she dramatically resigned from the Rajya Sabha, claiming her voice was being muzzled after both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day owing to frequent disruptions.

In a tweet two days ago, Mayawati  asked her supporters not be disheartened by her decision not to contest the 2019 polls, hinting at the possibility of her being selected for the PM’s job while pointing out that  there was a provision in law  to become a House member within six months of assuming office.

BSP supremo’s nephew is star campaigner

BSP national president Mayawati has appointed nephew Akaash Anand (L) as one of the star campaigners of the party for the Lok Sabha elections. A list of 20 star campaigners released by the party on Friday includes Mayawati, Satish Misra, RS Kushwaha, Naresh Gautam, Shamsuddin Rain, Murari Lal Kein and Dinesh Kazipur. After the media commented on the young nephew’s presence at several high-profile events, Mayawati on January 17 had declared that she would now actively associate Akaash with the BSP movement.