Mayawati rules out BSP-Congress alliance: Surjewala, Digvijaya play up trust and respect, BJP mocks 'mahagathbandhan'

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati’s declaration Wednesday that her party would contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan alone and accused the Congress of trying to "destroy" BSP through a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), drew a gamut of reactions. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, addressing a press briefing, said if the BSP chief trusted Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, then the “creases would be ironed out”. Surjewala added that trust and mutual confidence were more important than reading multiple meanings into the BSP chief’s statements. [caption id=“attachment_5310921” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image of Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. ANI[/caption] Surjewala said the Congress respects Mayawati’s opinion. He further added: “She also expressed her faith in Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. If there is mutual faith between Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati, then no fourth person can create a hindrance.” Surjewala added: “Alliances are not something that are just announced at press conferences. I think her statement says a lot and that is what you (media) should read.” Congress leader Digvijaya Singh told ANI: “I’ve already made it clear that I respect Mayawati and I have been in favour of the Congress-BSP alliance from the beginning. In Chhattisgarh, there were talks for alliance but she didn’t go for it. Even in Madhya Pradesh where there were talks of alliance, she declared 22 candidates.” Mayawati earlier accused some Congress leaders of attempting to sabotage the relationship with the BSP, and singled out Digvijaya Singh. Singh said,“Please ask her, as far as I am concerned, I had been one of the bitterest critics of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.” He further added, “Rahul Gandhi is our Congress chief, we follow his directions.” Samajwadi Party chief  Akhilesh Yadav said: “If the Congress delays the process of alliance then there might be a possibility that other parties might announce their candidates.” Akhilesh added: “Congress should take all parties together and there should be a mahagathbandhan”.   BJP’s  Ram Madhav mocked the “progress” of the Mahagathbandhan on Twitter. “First it was the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and now the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is calling the bluff. Mayawati says that the Congress is arrogant which is a new revelation for her and she declares no alliance in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Chattisgarh was already dumped.” Law Minister  Ravi Shankar Prasad added, “What relations Congress has with others is their matter, but all I can is say that coalition is not in the DNA of Congress.The only thing in their DNA is family.” Mayawati also attacked the grand old party’s “arrogance”. “Congress’ arrogance knows no bounds,” Mayawati said. “They say that they will defeat BJP on their own. But the ground reality is that the people have punished the Congress and are not ready to forgive them. This is why BJP took advantage of this fact and is in power across many states today. And it is spreading politics of hatred based on casteism and communalism.” “BSP has always supported Congress to avoid the casteist and communal politics of BJP. But Congress has instead betrayed BSP,” Mayawati alleged, added that she fully understood the importance of a grand alliance against BJP.