After ditching Congress, Mayawati trains gun at BJP in Chhattisgarh

Mayawati has said that BJP can make as many Ram Mandirs across the country as it wants but it won't get any political mileage.

ANI Photo

Mayawati hit the ground running on Saturday in the run-up to the Chhattisgarh elections next month by taking on BJP and RSS, questioning the frenzy around the Ram Mandir at Ayodhaya.

The BSP chief, who called off any possibility of joining hands with the Congress in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, took on BJP for working solely for political gains. "As the elections are approaching, efforts to build the Ram Mandir is gaining momentum. But BJP can make as many Ram Mandirs in UP and elsewhere but it won't give ensure political gains for either BHP or RSS," she said at a rally in Bilaspur.

Mayawati has joined hands with former Congress leader Ajit Jogi for the state elections here and took the opportunity to assure him of cooperation. "I want to assure Ajit Jogi ji that the respect he never got in the Congress party, he would get with BSP," she said. The former UP CM had previously slammed Congress as an arrogant party - much like BJP, she had said - and even said that some of its leaders were not interested in any alliance with BSP.

At the rally however, Mayawati said that all efforts should be made for a mahagatbandhan before the Lok Sabha elections next year. "Every effort should be made that as many of our candidates win as possible," she said.

Elections in the state have been set for November 12. Three-time CM Raman Singh of BJP would be hoping for yet another term in office.