BSP quite confident and competent this time: Akash Anand
BSP National Co-ordinator and party chief Mayawati’s nephew Akash Anand is virtually leading the party campaign in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as she appears to have taken a back seat. Anand spoke with Rakesh Mohan Chaturvedi on a host of issues.
Q: BSP had contested the 2019 general elections in alliance with SP and RLD, winning 10 seats. Why fight alone this time?
A: If you look at 2014 and 2019 data, we were hovering around 19% percent. On cutting into Opposition votes, we want to make absolutely clear that when we contest alone we maintain our vote-share but in alliance our partner cuts into our vote-share, helping BJP. We are quite confident and competent this time.
Does BSP feel that though it is able to transfer its vote to its pre-poll ally, its partners like SP or RLD do not?
Historically, it is very clear that BSP is able to divert its votes to its alliance partner, but the same cannot be said for the other side.
What about the perception that BSP contesting alone will cut into non-BJP votes and thus help BJP?
It is a negative way of putting this that BSP will cut into Opposition votes. Voters are not anybody’s heirloom. We are all political parties and we all deserve to go out and ask for votes and let the voters decide.
Does BSP apprehend that Congress will wean away its votes?
No. I think there is a principle and fundamental challenge with Congress. We don’t align with that- whether it was about giving reservations or representation to our people or paying respects to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Congress
