Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday ruled out any alliance with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Maljis-e-Ithehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh election.
She said a news channel had reported that the two parties would contest the election together.
“This news is absolutely false, misleading and baseless. There is not even an iota of truth in it and the BSP strongly denies it,” the former UP Chief Minister said in a statement on Twitter.
Ms. Mayawati said apart from Punjab, the BSP would go it alone in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Her clarification comes months before the Uttar Pradesh polls are scheduled to be held and amid speculation that her party would rope in the support of smaller parties.
Mr. Owaisi’s party is part of the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha, a loose formation of smaller outfits led by Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party. It includes OBC leaders such as Babu Singh Kushwaha, who like Mr. Rajbhar is a former BSP leader.
Mr. Owaisi said the AIMIM has decided to contest 100 seats in U.P. as part of the Morcha and had already started screening candidates.
“We have not had any talks regarding election or alliance with any other party,” Mr. Owaisi said.
