Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national coordinator Akash Anand has said that attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Center could lead to retaliatory action. Anand said the community the BSP represents is not capable of fighting agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
“When you attack someone, you also have to keep in mind his retaliation. If we keep attacking the central government, Modiji or Amit Shahji, we know there will be retaliation. That retribution will not be directly on us but on those around us and our community. Our community is not able to fight the ED, CBI or local authorities. How will we protect them?” Anand, nephew and political successor of BSP supremo Mayawati, said in an interview. Indian Express.
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“If any of our statements and actions can cause harm to our people, we do not take such action. But yes, whatever is wrong will be called wrong. If people vote for the right candidates, we will get a chance to correct our mistakes.”
Anand said that former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati chooses to target politicians keeping in mind the gain or loss of her people, the core voters.
“Sister never takes any decision for herself but for her society. She knows how much harm it can cause to our people if she directly targets anyone. In other parties, people probably have money and political powers. For example, Congress is always in power in some state or the other. So they have a political support to protect their people. But BSP is not in power in any state. Therefore, if any statement of ours causes harm to our people, Behenji will not do so.”
Anand, 28, is the main campaigner for BSP in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states. On BSP’s performance since 2014, Anand said that BSP’s core vote is still intact, while all opposition parties are declining across the country.
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“Whether it is Congress or regional parties, they all are struggling now. BSP is not the only party in this. In fact, at least the core vote back of BSP is still intact. We have maintained our vote share in the Lok Sabha elections since 2014. We are confident that our vote share will remain intact.”
BSP won ten Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections. But before the elections, four out of ten MPs have joined BJP. The party has not joined the Indian faction of the opposition in this election.
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Published: April 24, 2024, 10:13 am IST
