Mayawati credits BSP for Telengana state formation

Hyderabad: Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati said that her party played a crucial role in the formation of Telangana state by extending full support to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, both inside and outside the Parliament.

Ms Mayawati also urged the voters in Telangana and Seemandhra to vote for the BSP candidates to secure power for people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.

She said her party also brought pressure in the Parliament to address the issues concerning the Seemandhra region after the state’s bifurcation.

Addressing an election meeting at Nizam College Grounds here on Monday, Ms Mayawati said the BSP is in favour of smaller states as it helps in administration and development.

Justifying the creation of a separate Telangana state, she said, “Andhra Pradesh is a big state and the Telangana region is mostly inhabited by the weaker sections. The region is always neglected. So, there was always a demand for a separate state.”

Ms Mayawati came down heavily on the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi saying that he was responsible for the Godhra killings and he has no fit to become the Prime Minister. The BSP chief criticised the 10-year “misrule” of UPA government by terming it “most corrupt” and “inefficient”.

She said common people were the worst hit due to inflation.