Mayawati Stated To Unite With BJP For 2022 UP Elections? No, Misleading Claim Viral!

Uttar Pradesh (UP) will witness the legislative assembly elections between February to March 2022. Amidst the elections campaign, several claims and misinformation are being shared on social media. Against the same backdrop, a newspaper cutting is being shared claiming Mayawati, president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has stated to unite with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to defeat Samajwadi Party (SP).

A Twitter user shared the photo and captioned in Hindi, "जी बहन जी समझ गए हम, शुक्रिया".

[English translation- Yes sister, we understood, thank you]

Another Twitter user shared the photo and captioned it in Hindi, "भाजपा में बहन जी का विश्वास कैसे जाग रहा है...?"

[English translation: How is the faith of sister in BJP is getting awakened...?]

A Facebook user shared the photo and captioned it in Hindi, "जय हो बहन जी! उत्तर प्रदेश को मजबूत करना है तो 2022 में फिर भाजपा जरूरी है".

[English translation: Hail sister! If you want to strengthen Uttar Pradesh, then BJP is necessary again in 2022].

The newspaper's cutting is viral on Twitter as well as Facebook.

Image Credit: Facebook

Claim:

Mayawati has stated to unite with BJP to defeat SP in upcoming UP legislative assembly elections.

Fact Check:

The Logical Indian Fact Check team verified the claim and found it misleading. The statement was issued by Mayawati in 2020.

We carefully read the report in the viral newspaper cutting. An excerpt from the report read, "विधायकों की बगावत पर भड़की मायावती ने कहा कि एमएलसी चुनाव में सपा को हराने के लिए वह भाजपा और अन्य दलों का भी साथ देंगी"

[English translation: Furious over the rebellion of the MLAs, Mayawati said that she will also support the BJP and other parties to defeat the SP in the MLC elections.]

Taking a hint from here, we searched for media reports over the rebellion of the MLAs of BSP. We found several media reports dating back to 2020 confirming that the viral newspaper cutting is a year old.

According to The Times of India, seven MLAs of BSP openly rebelled against the party, after which Mayawati suspended them. She added that even if her party had to support BJP in the next Vidhan Parishad elections, she would do so to defeat SP.

Image Credit: Times Of India

Back then, Mayawati's statement over supporting BJP led to several speculations. According to DNA India, Mayawati clarified that her party had not appealed to vote for BJP in any polls. The report carried her statement which reads, "I had said that even if we have to give the vote to any other candidate even he or she is from BJP or any other party in the upcoming MLC elections in the state to give reply to SP for its 'anti-Dalit' actions. We can support candidates of other parties but will not let the SP candidate win. BSP stands by its statement."

Image Credit: DNA India

We also found a BBC report on the press conference held by Mayawati where she issued the aforementioned statements. The report was titled, "Mayawati ने Akhilesh Yadav पर हमला करते हुए BJP को वोट देने की बात क्यों कही?" In the video, Mayawati clearly says that her party will support BJP or any other party to ensure SP's defeat in the upcoming MLC elections. She can be heard saying it from 2:15 to 3:00 time stamp.

To sum up, a statement issued by Mayawati in 2020 has been revived against the backdrop of the upcoming 2022 UP legislative assembly elections. Back then, Mayawati stated that her party would support BJP or any other party to ensure SP's defeat. Therefore, the newspaper cutting is viral with a misleading claim.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.

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