Vote in favour of Akhilesh, Mulayam will help BJP: Mayawati

Lucknow (UP) [India], Jan. 8 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday cautioned the people of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly polls, saying votes in favour of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav or Samajwadi Party patron will only help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing the media today, Mayawati said, "The people should not waste their votes by casting them in favour of Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav as it will only benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party." She further said that the BJP, Akhilesh and his uncle Ramgopal Yadav are trying to form an alliance with the Congress. Mayawati asked her party workers to carry forward the work in various assembly constituencies to ensure the BSP's victory. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister's fresh outburst against the Samajwadi Party and BJP came a day after she unveiled her party's strategy for the state assembly elections. Mayawati yesterday directed her party leaders and candidates to highlight the harassment of common people due to demonetisation, the family feud in the Samajwadi Party and desperation among the Congress leaders for a pre-poll alliance during the election campaign. The Election Commission earlier on Wednesday announced seven-phase polling for 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh beginning on February 11. The counting of votes in the politically crucial state will take place on March 11. (ANI)