Mayawati to campaign for BJP, gives Modi a clean chit in Gujarat riots
Press Trust of India Posted online: Sunday, December 08, 2002 at 1621 hours IST Updated: Monday, December 09, 2002 at 1053 hours IST
Lucknow, December 8: Giving a clean chit to Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati on Sunday announced her party's support to BJP in Gujarat Assembly polls saying it was morally bound to help the saffron party which was supporting it in UP.
The BSP would support BJP in 151 constituencies but would contest 31 seats on its own, Mayawati told a press conference in Lucknow.
The Chief Minister, who would accompany Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for electioneering on Monday in Gujarat, said it was her party's "moral responsibility" to support the BJP in Gujarat as it was supporting the BSP in UP.
Mayawati said the decision would not have any "adverse" effect on BSP's Muslim vote bank in Uttar Pradesh.
Rejecting the Congress charge on Modi's role in the communal violence that rocked Gujarat following Godhra massacre, mayawati said "a Chief Minister will never do anything which will bring bad name to his own government."
"The charges against Modi are baseless," she said.
She said Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had contacted her and sought BSP's support in Gujarat.
The decision to support the BJP was taken after extensive deliberations with BSP supremo Kanshi Ram, she said.
Asked whether the BJP would support the BSP on 31 seats it was contesting, Mayawati said her party had "good support base" in these segments and would contest these seats on its own.
Conceding that her party's organisational base was not strong in Gujarat, she expressed confidence that her party would be able to register an effective presence in the state.
She said the BSP thrice formed governments with the support of the BJP in UP and the interests of the minority community were protected fully during their rule.
