People need food first not car: Mayawati

LUCKNOW: Advocating division of Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states, BSP chief Mayawati said that while the BJP had no claim to development, the SP was on a loosing wicket as its Yadav voters were divided into Akhilesh and Shivpal camps.

Taking a jibe at BJP chief Amit Shah’s Jhansi rally speech that if illegal mining is stopped in Bundelkhand everyone can get a free Maruti car, Mayawati said “people first need food and shelter. When we come to power we will provide means and resources to people so that they can become self reliant and be able to afford a Maruti.”

She also hit back at Shah who said that SP and BSP were parties of goons, saying it was the BJP which harboured goons and it was evident from what happened in Gujarat.

She said that BJP and SP’s claim that BSP was not development-oriented is false as most of the big projects done recently like expressway and metro were initiated in her regime.

“Both SP and BJP are taking out a rath yatra because they have no development work to show. BJP is doing rallies by roping in chief ministers and people from neighbouring states,” she said.

She said that the SP’s Yadav voters were now divided into Akhilesh and Shivpal camps, and will work to sabotage each others candidates in polls. “SP is now trying to forge coalitions. Why would they need a colaition, if they were confident of winning,” she said.