"BSP will contest independently in Delhi Polls with full preparation, strength": Mayawati

New Delhi [India], January 8 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati announced on Tuesday that the party will contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections independently, with full preparation and strength.
Taking to the social media handle on X (formerly Twitter), BSP leader Mayawati wrote, "The general election for Delhi Assembly will be held in one phase on 5 February 2025. The announcement made by the Election Commission in this regard is welcome. BSP is fighting this election on its own strength with full preparation and strength. It is expected that the party will definitely perform well in this election."
Mayawati highlighted the importance of elections in preserving democracy and reaffirmed the party's focus on the welfare of the poor and oppressed sections of society.
"Elections are the backbone of democracy, and as a party dedicated to the upliftment of the marginalized, we expect the Election Commission to ensure that these elections are free from communalism and other negative influences, including the misuse of government machinery," she posted on X.
The BSP leader also issued an appeal to the voters, urging them not to be swayed by tempting promises from other parties and to vote wisely for BSP candidates.
"It is an appeal to the voters that they should not get swayed by any party's tempting promises and should use their votes wisely and vote only for the BSP party candidates who are dedicated to public interest and public welfare. This is where the public and national interest lies and is safe," read her post.
Earlier on Tuesday, former BSP leader Madan Mohan along with his wife Sudeshwati joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of AAP MP Sanjay Singh.
On January 1, Jasvir Singh Garhi, the former president of the Punjab unit of BSP also joined AAP.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the dates for polls to the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
The elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, while the counting of votes will take place on February 8. The last date for filing nominations is January 17. The date for scrutiny of nominations is January 18. While last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the AAP leaders of corruption and misgovernance, while the AAP, which is aiming to come to power for the third consecutive time, is focusing on highlighting its achievements in the education and health sector.
In the race for the New Delhi seat, the BJP has fielded Parvesh Verma, former MP and son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, to challenge Arvind Kejriwal. The Congress has also entered the fray with Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, from the same seat.
The BJP has fielded former MP Ramesh Bidhuri against Delhi CM Atishi in the Kalkaji seat while the Congress has fielded former MLA Alka Lamba.
The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got only eight seats. (ANI)