Muslims failed to understand BSP: Mayawati after defeat

LUCKNOW: After scoring a zilch in the Lok Sabha polls, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Wednesday said that despite the party giving it a "proper representation" in elections, the Muslim community is not able to understand the BSP.

Going forward, the party will give the community an electoral opportunity only after a lot of thought, she said.

The BSP had failed to open its account in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as well. It, however, bagged 10 seats in the 2019 one, which it had fought in alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

Mayawati in a statement said that her party will do a "deep analysis" of the trouncing and will take whatever steps that are necessary in the interest of the party.

She expressed her gratitude to the Dalit community, especially the Jatavs, for supporting the party, but also expressed her displeasure towards the Muslims.

"The Muslim community, which is an important part of the Bahujan Samaj Party, is not able to understand the BSP properly despite being given proper representation in the past elections and this time also in the Lok Sabha general elections.

"So, in such a situation, the party will give them a chance in the elections after a lot of thought so that the party does not suffer a huge loss in the future like this time," Mayawati said.

The BSP had fielded 35 Muslim candidates, the maximum, in the latest general election.

She said since the results are out, it is up to the future leaders of the country to think about the country's democracy, its interests, and the Constitution.

Mayawati also raised her objection to the election being conducted in extreme heat and argued against the long-drawn election process which may become exhausting to the common people as well as the lakhs of government employees deployed on election duty.

The election should be held in three or four phases at the most, she added