Mayawati says BSP will go solo in state elections this year; accuses Congress of forming alliance with 'castiest parties'

New Delhi [India], July 19 : A day after the announcement of the Opposition alliance – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo, Mayawati, on Wednesday said that her party will not enter into any alliance and that the BSP will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana, scheduled to be held later this year, on its own. 
Mayawati also lashed out at the alliance of 26-like minded parties, INDIA, and said the Congress is dreaming of coming back to the Centre by forming an alliance with casteist, capitalist-minded parties like itself. 
"We will fight the elections alone. We will contest the assembly elections on our own in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana this year," she said while addressing a press conference here in the national capital. 
"Whereas in Haryana, Punjab and other states, we can form alliance with the regional parties of the respective state," Mayawati added. 
The BSP Supremo further said that the casteist, anti-poor, and capitalist mentality of the Congress and the BJP is the reason why BSP has decided to contest the upcoming elections without the opposition's INDIA or the ruling party's National Democratic Alliance (NDA). 
"Congress party is forging alliance with like-minded casteist and capitalist parties to come into power. BJP is also strengthening NDA...But their policies are anti-Dalit and anti-Muslim," she said. 
"Whether it is Congress' Garibi Hatao, or BJP's tall promises of depositing Rs 20 lakh each into the account of poor are the prime reasons why the BSP has decided to maintain distance from both the ruling and opposition alliances," she said. 
Earlier on Tuesday, the 26-like minded parties concluded the two-day meeting in Bengaluru after agreeing to come under one name-- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance-- to take on the BJP government at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 
While addressing the media after the meeting, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Earlier, we were UPA and now all the 26 parties have given a name to the opposition and that is – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Everybody has agreed upon this, and the resolution for the name was passed unanimously.” 
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan said that the name was proposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 
“The name of the opposition alliance- INDIA was proposed by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. After a long discussion, it was decided to be called as 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,” Thirumavalavan told ANI.