Mayawati pitches for anti-BJP alliance in 2019; Cong, SP back her

Lucknow, April 16,2017 (ANI): Addressing her party members on the 126th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar on Friday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said that she was open to enter into alliance with any political party to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first...we have to keep democracy alive," she said. Delighted over Mayawati's proposal for a 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of anti-BJP parties for 2019 general elections, the Congress on Sunday said that the grand old party would also join in the race to oust the saffron party from national politics. "I am delighted that in her own accord Mayawati has agreed to join this alliance. I think even without the Congress it is already strong enough to take on the BJP. But if the Congress comes into it and I hope it will, then there is no hope for Prime Minister Narendra Modi , except to see him consigned to the books of history," Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar told ANI. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday also backed the idea of a coalition in 2019 to defeat BJP.