Lucknow, June 26 (Agency) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday announced that her party will support Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (candidate Draupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections. While attacking the opposition parties for isolating BSP, Mayawati said, \”Considering tribal community a special part of its movement, BSP has decided to support Draupadi Murmu in the presidential election. \”BSP has taken this important decision not in the favour of NDA or against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), but keeping in mind the party and the movement. The decision has been taken to make a competent and dedicated tribal woman the President of the country,\” she added. Mayawati, though, expressed apprehension that only time will tell how freely she will be able to work without any pressure.
“To make woman of a tribal community the President of the country, I announce to give the votes of my party,\” she said. At present, BSP has 10 MPs and one MLA in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Former Governor of Jharkhand, Draupadi Murmu, who belongs to the tribal community, has filed her nomination for the presidential elections to be held on July 18. On the other hand, the joint opposition has named former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha as its candidate. He will file his nomination on June 27. Mayawati termed BJP and other opposition parties exercising to select a candidate for the post of President as a sham and accused them of isolating BSP in this campaign. \”While BJP is showing off that it is reaching out to its alliance partners in NDA, the opposition parties held meetings in an arbitrary manner to decide a joint candidate. BSP was isolated in this process. \”On the issues of public interest, BSP had always supported the opposition parties against BJP.
Despite this, the West Bengal Chief Minister called a meeting on June 15 and invited a select few parties. A similar meeting called by Sharad Pawar on June 21, not inviting BSP, shows their casteist intentions,\” she added. As per Mayawati, \”In such a situation, the efforts to unite the opposition for the election of President and Vice-President do not seem to be serious and it’s nothing more than a sham, whose result is known to all.\” She said BSP did not follow the footsteps of other parties. It was an independent party, which was capable of taking its own decisions.