BSP will join hands with BJP after results: Ex-Mayawati aide
Ballia (UP), May 15: Congress leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who was with the BSP until last year, claimed on Wednesday that Mayawati will be under so much pressure after the election results that she will join hands with the BJP.
Once the Bahujan Samaj Party chief goes with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Siddiqui said the Samajwadi Party would be left with no other option but to come along with the Congress in the interest of country and Uttar Pradesh.
"The BSP supremo had joined hands with the BJP in the past. And after May 23, there will be such pressure on her that she will become a part of the BJP," Siddiqui, who had revolted against Mayawati and joined the Congress last year, told reporters here.
"There is nothing impossible in politics, I have known her for 33 years. I know her more than she knows herself," the Congress leader said.
The former minister in the Mayawati government said he still respects her a lot, but there was no possibility of returning to the BSP.
On the chances of Mayawati becoming the prime minister, Siddiqui said no such announcement had been made by anyone.
"Even alliance partner Samajwadi Party and the RLD have not said anything on this. Akhilesh Yadav has only said that the next prime minister will be from Uttar Pradesh. Then where is the question of her becoming the prime minister?" he asked.
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"Please come & do vote": FM Nirmala Sitharaman exhorts people to cast ballot
Bengaluru (PTI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday exhorted people to vote, saying they should exercise their democratic right despite the soaring mercury.
The Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka cast her ballot at a polling booth in Jayanagar coming under Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency.
Voting was underway on Friday in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State in the first phase.
“Everyone should come out of their homes and cast their vote. Yes, it can be a hot day for Bengaluru but it is worth coming out. Choose your time, please come and do vote," Sitharaman told reporters.
Many booths reported brisk voting in the first hour of polling as people sought to "beat the heat"
Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the first phase in 14 segments covering most of the southern and coastal districts, where more than 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations.
The 14 segments facing polls in the first phase are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkballapur and Kolar.
There are a total of 2,88,19,342 electors in these constituencies — 1,44,28,099 male, 1,43,88,176 female and 3,067 third gender
