Lucknow, Dec 28 (IANS): The Bahujan Samaj Party will consider joining the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc only if BSP president Mayawati is projected as the prime ministerial candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

BSP MP from Bijnor Malook Nagar said that by projecting Mayawati as the PM candidate, the INDIA alliance will be able to stop the BJP from winning a third consecutive term in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

“The victory formula for the alliance is clear. In the 2022 (Uttar Pradesh) Assembly election, the BJP polled 41.3 per cent votes. The parties constituting the INDIA bloc polled around 40 pr cent votes and the BSP secured around 13 per cent votes. If the BSP joins the alliance, the vote percentage will go above 50 per cent which is enough to snatch power from the BJP. Projection of Mayawati as the PM candidate will also bring back the Dalit voters who have been lured by the saffron brigade,” he said.

Nagar, who is a close aide of the BSP chief, said Mayawati is the tallest Dalit leader in the country and support for her cuts across states.

Nagar, however, added, “The Congress must also apologise for weaning away BSP MLAs in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after the 2018 Assembly elections, Nagar said days after UP Congress president Ajay Rai suggested the BSP should seriously consider joining the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties.

Mayawati will (then) not only forgive the Congress for its misdeed to poach the BSP MLAs in Rajasthan and MP, but will also have a positive approach towards the INDIA alliance offer.”

Nagar statement comes after UPCC president Ajay Rai had said, “Given the current political scenario in the country and the condition of Dalits, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati should seriously consider joining the INDIA alliance.”

Earlier the Samajwadi Party had reportedly opposed the move to induct the Bahujan Samaj Party into the INDIA bloc after which Mayawati had indicated that she wished to keep the doors open for future political alignments.

“It is inappropriate for anyone to make unnecessary comments on parties, including the BSP, that are not a part of the opposition alliance,” she had said last week.