BSP to decide on continuing support to UPA: Mayawati

Lucknow: Attacking the UPA government for its "anti-people" decisions, BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said her party will take a final call on Wednesday on whether to continue its outside support to the Centre. IIn her first major public event after BSP's debacle in the UP polls seven months back, Mayawati, like her arch rival and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, did not expect the Manmohan Singh government to last its term till 2014 and asked her cadres to be ready for early polls.

"We will hold a meeting of BSP's national executive tomorrow (October 10) to reconsider whether to continue support to the UPA government or not," she said addressing BSP workers at a 'sankalp maharally' here to mark the sixth death anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram. Going by the present circumstances, it appears that Lok Sabha polls would be held early," she said.

After the withdrawal of support by its ally Trinamool Congress, Government is banking on the outside support of BSP, which has 21 MPs in Lok Sabha, and Samajwadi Party with 22 MPs. She attacked the government's foreign and economic policies, saying its "anti-people" decisions have added to the woes of the people including the deprived, Dalits, minorities and farmers who are facing the brunt of rising prices, growing unemployment and corruption.

On the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail, Mayawati left the door open on her party backing it. "If the financial situation of farmers and small traders improves because of FDI, we could welcome it in future but currently we do not support it," the BSP chief said. "Since the UPA government has not done anything in the interest of the country and the people, it can go all out to woo the electorate by luring them through tall promises which will not really benefit the people. We have to remain vigilant on this count as well," she said.

Mayawati used the occasion to train her guns on the SP government accusing it of turning UP into a "crime state" and alleging that goonda elements jailed by her erstwhile government were being freed.