After 24 years, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati share the stage

New Delhi/Mainpuri: Putting the final seal on the Mahagathbandhan aimed at keeping the Narendra Modi-led BJP at bay in Uttar Pradesh, arch-rivals Mayawati, the Bahujan Samaj Party supremo, and Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party’s founder-patron, on Friday shared a stage after 24 years and addressed a joint rally in Mainpuri.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, 79, made an emotional appeal to voters to ensure his victory in the elections, claiming this one to be his ‘last election’.

“I appeal to let me win by huge majority this time, which should be more than the margin of last time because this is my last election ,” he said.

The BSP chief, who was described as chief guest at the rally by SP chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, described the SP patron, who is fighting the Lok Sabha polls from Mainpuri, as “real leader” of the backwards, unlike Prime Minister Modi, whom she referred to as naqli and farzi.

In her address, Ms Mayawati referred to the infamous 1995 state guest house incident, after which she snapped all ties with SP, and said that sometimes in the interest of the party, some difficult decisions have to be taken. “I know people must be wondering why I have come here to campaign for Mulayam Singhji despite the state guest house case... Sometimes in janhit and party movement some difficult decisions have to be taken,” she said.

“There is no doubt that Mulayam Singh has taken members of all sections of society along with him under the SP banner... He is the real leader... of backwards, who still consider him their leader... He is not a “naqli” or “farzi” backward (leader) like Narendra Modi,” Ms Mayawati said, and rounded it off by saying: “Jai Bhim, Jai Lohia, Jai Bharat!”

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, in turn, welcomed her and asked his supporters to always respect her.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading.