Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said that both Ali and Bajrang Bali were with them and no one was a stranger for the Bahujan Samaj.

Mayawati’s comment came after Yogi, while addressing a gathering in Meerut recently, said that if the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party believed in Ali, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Hindus had faith in Bajrang Bali.

“Both Ali and Bajrang Bali are ours and with their blessings we will get votes in the election. We want Bajrang Bali as he is a Dalit, and it is not me who has defined His caste, but Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who came up with the revelation,” Mayawati said while addressing a joint rally with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Budaun on Saturday..

The BSP chief further said, “Upper caste people are also unhappy with the wrong policies of the BJP government. Hence they have also decided to move ahead with us. People who believe in Ali and Bajrang Bali have decided not to vote for either the BJP or the Congress as both these parties now stand exposed. No ‘jumlebazi’ or new drama of ‘chowkidari’ will be able to save them.”

The BSP chief also accused the BJP government of wasting thousands of crores of public money on advertisements.

“Those who chant NaMo NaMo are not coming back to power. The BJP will lose this election because of its policies inspired by hatred, especially their ‘chowkidar’ campaign. No matter how much the ‘chhote’, ‘bade’ chowkidars try, the BJP will not win,” she said.

Targeting the Congress, the BSP chief said, “Instead of giving minimum income support, our government will provide employment to the poor. Indira Gandhi had also made a 20-point programme to remove poverty, but was it effective?”

Mayawati said, “We are silent workers, unlike other parties. Our party performs without making noise. The Congress too has been making tall claims; haven’t they been given enough chance for decades? They were wiped out from several states. The NYAY scheme is not a stable solution for removing poverty.”

Mayawati said that corruption had increased at every level. “The Congress was tainted by Bofors and the BJP has been tainted by Rafale. The BJP government has been misusing investigation agencies — Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate — against its rivals. You don’t need to give another chance to them. Do not get swayed,” she appealed to the voters.

The BSP chief further said, “Even people from backward communities are suffering due to divisive thought process of these parties. At the Centre or state level, reservation for these communities has been ignored and they are being exploited. Minorities are also suffering.”

Speaking after Mayawati, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “The alliance between SP, BSP and RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal) is a bonding of the poor, farmers and deprived sections for restoring their honour and dignity. The first phase of polling has seen how people voted for alliance candidates and this has scared other parties. The grassroots-level alliance will reach Parliament and give a new prime minister to the country. We have been waiting for achhe din (good days) for the last five years. Neither the youth have been given jobs nor farmers the right price for their produce. Our farmers are still waiting for their payments.”

Amid chants of ‘chowkidar chor hai’ — the Congress’ key campaign slogan for polls, Yadav said, “Earlier they came as a ‘chaiwala’ (tea seller) and now they are coming as ‘chowkidar’ (watchman). Make sure ‘chowkidars’ lose their ‘chowki’ (seats) this time.

“BJP leaders have discussed the caste of Lord Hanuman and Hanumanji is now waiting to punish them. The schemes started by us that benefited people were terminated by the BJP government. This election will take the country in a new direction and restore due respect of people belonging to backward and Scheduled Castes.”

The SP chief said that the BJP leaders were claiming that their party was responsible for the country’s safety but “we say our forces provide us that safety as governments keep coming and going”.

“The BJP is dividing our society the way the Britishers did. Some people would continue to spread rumours, lies and resort to dirty tactics, but firmly believe that on polling day, you all will vote for the alliance candidate,” Yadav said.