Lucknow: In a major set back to Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday announced that her party will not participate in anti-BJP rally 'Desh Bachao, Bhajpa Bhagao' on August 27 in Patna.
In an apparent reference to Samajwadi Party, Mayawati said, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has been told that BSP will share the stage with a party only if it's decided in advance, as to which party will contest on how many seats.
At the time of announcing the 'oust BJP rally' at the Gandhi Maidan, the RJD chief had said that he would bring Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav together on one platform, which would mean the "end of the match for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls".
Interestingly, Mayawati's statement comes a day after Lalu claimed that BSP MP Satish Chandra would be representing his party at the much-talked about rally.
While it's confirmed that Congress president Sonia Gandhi will not attend Lalu's rally, there are slim chances of party vice president Rahul Gandhi's attendance at the event.
The RJD chief said on Wednesday that senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and CP Joshi would attend the rally with a message from Sonia.
On the other hand, he claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav would attend the RJD rally.
The RJD chief is criss-crossing the state to mobilise people for the August 27 rally, which he has claimed would be a major occasion to bring together the secular forces on one platform against the BJP ahead of the 2019 polls.
