Mayawati spares SP from criticism, says focus on national parties

As she lashed out at BJP and Congress at a press conference here to mark her 64th birthday, BSP chief Mayawati stopped short of criticising Samajwi Party with which she was in a short-lived alliance. When asked about her “silence” on SP, Mayawati said she will speak only on national issues and national parties.

"My birthday is celebrated as 'Jan Kalyankari Diwas’ (Welfare Day) across country and hence most of speech pertains to Centre and burning issues before country,” she said.

She said if she spoke about Uttar Presh government and state-level politics, it will consume “same amount of time”. During press conference, she said BJP and Congress were “two sides of same coin”. She also blamed state’s BJP government of working against interest of people who faced hardship because of its “narrow-mindedness” and wrong decisions. Samajwi Party chief Akhilesh Yav wished Mayawati on her birthday through Twitter.

"Greetings to national president of Bahujan Samaj Party Mayawati ji on her birthday," tweet in Hindi said.

Mayawati h forged an alliance with Akhilesh Yav’s party just ahe of Lok Sabha elections last May, after years of bitter rivalry. But alliance unravelled soon after results were declared, with BSP doing worse than SP in Uttar Presh. two sides fought against each or in assembly bypolls.