Mayawati takes fight to Mulayam’s turf; slams SP, BJP

Azamgarh (UP), Aug 28 (PTI) BSP supremo Mayawati todayattacked the Modi government, claiming it could start a warwith Pakistan on the issue of terrorism just to divertpeople’s attention from their failures ahead of the UttarPradesh polls early next year. Cautioning the electorate on Samajwadi Party supremoMulayam Singh Yadav’s turf in eastern UP, she sharpened herattack on both BJP and ruling Samajwadi Party, saying theycould go to the extent of engineering riots to reap electoralbenefits ahead of the crucial polls. "To divert people’s attention from the failures of BJPand the Centre, the government can go to war (with Pakistan)on the issue of Kashmir and terrorism," she said at a rallyhere. Azamgarh is represented by Mulayam in the Lok Sabha. Hehad won from both Azamgarh and Mainpuri in 2014 but gave upthe latter. "Both the governments have cheated the people and failedto deliver on the poll promises," she said, apprehending thatthese parties could "foment communal passions" for sake ofvotes. "People have understood the designs of oppositionparties, especially of BJP. It could trigger Hindu-Muslim riotin Uttar Pradesh before the state Assembly elections andpeople should beware of this," Mayawati said. She accused the BJP of being anti-Dalit and the SP ofencouraging ‘goondas and mafias’. The BSP supremo said if her party comes to power, therule of law will once again be established in the state. In an apparent attempt to downplay the exodus of seniorleaders from BSP, she said her political opponents, mainlyBJP, were lapping up "our rejected stuff" (leaders expelledfrom BSP). Of the 10 assembly seats in the area, the Samajwadi Partyholds a majority. Mayawati is now hoping to make a dent ineastern UP in the coming state polls, and chose Azamgarh forher first rally in the region which has a significant Muslimpopulation apart from her Dalit vote base. (MORE) PTI AVA SMIBSA SKBSA