Upset at the non-transfer of Samajwadi Party votes to the alliance partners, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati hinted at going it alone in future.
During a review meeting of Uttar Pradesh unit of the BSP with party leaders in New Delhi on Monday, Mayawati asked party office-bearers, MLAs and newly-elected MPs to get ready, saying that the BSP would fight all 11 Assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.
Bypolls to these Assembly constituencies are due as nine MLAs of Bharatiya Janata Party and one each of Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party have been elected to the Lok Sabha.
Mayawati reportedly told party leaders that the BSP won 10 seats in UP due to its traditional vote bank and votes of Samajwadi Party could not get transferred to its candidates.
She stressed that the party would have to strengthen its own organisational structure and not depend on other parties to win elections.
She also stressed the need to increase the participation of members of other backward classes in the organisation.
Interestingly, when SP chief Akhilesh Yadav shared the dais with BSP MP from Lalganj, Sangeeta Azad, in Azamgarh to thank voters on Monday morning, Mayawati, while showing displeasure over non-transfer of votes, did not blame Akhilesh for it.
Sources maintained that the BSP chief blamed the Congress and Shivpal Singh Yadav led Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) for the poor performance of the alliance.
However, her statement asking party workers to get ready for bypolls raised doubts over the continuation of alliance, as the BSP has never fought bypolls.