Mayawati refuses to meet Congress delegation in Lucknow

As the crucial assembly elections draw closer, political activities in Uttar Pradesh have gained momentum for pre-poll alliances.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has already said couple of time that his party will continue its alliance with Congress, as it did in 2024 Lok Sabha polls when the alliance won 43 of 80 seats. However, in a major reversal this time, the Congress party started showing interest in joining hands with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the assembly polls.

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A report on Wednesday stated that Congress leaders are trying to contact BSP leadership to initiate discussion on the matter. Sources in Congress said that some leaders recently tried to meet Mayawati in Lucknow but failed. It was also said that Rahul Gandhi too wants to open up discussions with the BSP for the 2027 assembly polls. But Mayawati repeated that the BSP would not go for any alliance in UP elections.

Sources said a delegation of Congress leaders who went to meet Mayawati was turned away. Before leaving, they wrote their names on the gate. However, they maintain they were there only for a formal meeting.

BSP chief and former chief minister Mayawati is currently in Lucknow.

The report said the Congress delegation—comprised of National President of the Congress Scheduled Caste Department Rajendra Pal Gautam, State President of the department and MP Tanuj Punia among other leaders — reached Mayawati’s residence and sent her a message requesting a meeting. The Congress leaders said they were carrying a message from Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. But Mayawati refused to meet with the them, forcing them to return empty-handed.

Rajendra Pal Gautam, National President of the Congress Scheduled Caste Department, clarified to the media that she is a former chief minister from the Dalit community. In this situation, we must check on her well-being. We have put our names on the gate. We will go to meet her again when she calls.