Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday said BSP supremo Mayawati would be "ditched" by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav after May 23.
"The Samajwadi Party has never given due honour to Dalits. In 1995, when Mayawati was attacked at the State Guest House here by SP leaders on the directions of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the BJP had saved her. Now, his (Mulayam's) son Akhilesh will dump her after May 23 and the BJP will support her," Maurya told PTI in an interview at his residence in Lucknow.
"Whenever Mayawati is in crisis, the BJP supports her and will continue to do so in the future too," he said.
On the Congress's prospects in the upcoming general election, he said irrespective of the tall claims of the opposition party, its strength would be reduced further after the polls, adding, "The BJP is going to form the government under the leadership of Modi again, with Uttar Pradesh giving it 74 plus seats."
UP accounts for the highest number of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the country.
The general elections are scheduled to be held in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes will be conducted on 23 May, and on the same day, the results will be declared.
Legislative Assembly elections in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will be held simultaneously with the general election.
(With PTI inputs)
