New Delhi :
Ending decades-long rivalry, Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday shared the dais at a hisotric election rally of SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Mainpuri on Friday. During the rally, both Mayawati and Mulayam showered praises at each other. Addressing the rally, Mulayam Singh asked his supporters to always respect Mayawati, saying that the BSP chief always helped the Samajwadi Party in need. The BSP chief also appealed people to vote for Mulayam. Calling the SP patriarch a real backward, Mayawati said that Mulayam united all the section of the society. Mayawati and Mulayam shared the stage nearly 24 years after the infamous "guest house episode" in 1995 when SP workers attacked the BSP cheif at a state guest house.
Earlier, Mulayam was not happy with the SP-BSP alliance and had skipped several joint rallies citing health conditions. However, to ensure the smooth tranfer of votes, Akhilesh Yadav convinced father Mulayam to share the stage with Mayawati wherever the gathbandhan has fielded joint candidates.
Below are the live updates:
The country today is going through a very fragile phase...our farmers are in distress...BJP is busy stealing our fertilizers.. our youths are losing jobs. BJP says they want to build a 'Naya Bharat', but the mahagathbandhan says we need a new Prime Minister in the country. One who changes this and ushers the country to development and prosperity: Akhilesh Yadav
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Mainpur. This is a historic moment. Mayawati has appealed to voters to help Mulayam Singh Yadav to win and I am sure that Mainpuri will vote for Mulayam in record numbers.
Mayawati in Mainpuri: Mulayam Singh Yadav is a real Backward class, unlike PM Modi, who is a fake one and projected his upper caste as a lower one just for votes.
"I appeal to the people to vote for Mulayam Singh Yadav who is the true leader of the backward classes," says BSP chief.
"I am confident that BJP will lose these elections and will be voted out of the centre soon...this 'chowkidari' farce will not save the BJP," says Mayawati.
Unlike Modi, Mulayam Singh Yadav is real backword. In the first two phases, BJP has released that the atmosphere is against them: Mayawati
In pictures: Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav share dias at historic Mainpuri rally of Mahagathbandhan.
मैनपà¥à¤°à¥€: 'सामाजिक नà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯ से महापरिवरà¥à¤¤à¤¨' सपा, बसपा और आरà¤à¤²à¤¡à¥€ की संयà¥à¤•à¥à¤¤ महारैली#MahaGathbandhan से #MahaParivartan pic.twitter.com/a3GnjCDupx
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) April 19, 2019
"People want to know why I had entered an alliance despite my past equations with Mulayam singh ji and the state guest house episode. But sometimes, we have to take such tough decisions, keeping national interests in mind," says Maywati.
Mulayam Singh Yadav united all the sections of the society with his party. I have come to seek votes for him: Mayawati
I have already answered the questions raised about the 1995 guest house incident when we announced our alliance. I don't want to waste time by speaking about it again: Mayawati
Mayawati seeks votes for Mulayam Singh Yadav. Says he will win with historic mandate.
Mualayam Singh Yadav at Mainpuri rally: Today, Mayawati Ji has come and I welcome her. Always respect Mayawati ji as she has always helped us whenever we needed. I am happy she came here in my support.
Mulayam Singh Yadav: After a long time, me and Mayawati are together on stage. I am fighting the elections for the last time.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati share stage at Mainpuri rally
मैनपà¥à¤°à¥€: 'सामाजिक नà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯ से महापरिवरà¥à¤¤à¤¨' सपा, बसपा और आरà¤à¤²à¤¡à¥€ की संयà¥à¤•à¥à¤¤ महारैली https://t.co/cBiB861riO
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) April 19, 2019
SP-BSP-RLD's joint rally to begin shortly in Mainpuri; BSP Chief Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav to share the stage. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/yLgtaM3ytA
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 19, 2019
Leaving behind the scars of "guest house incident": By sharing the stage with Mulayam Singh Yadav, Maywati is leaving behind the scars of the "guest house incident". The infamous incident took place in 1995 when Samajwadi Party workers attacked Mayawati in a state guest house following her decision to ditch SP and join hands with the BJP. The incident turned Mayawati and Mulayam bitter rivals.
The historic joint rally of SP-BSP-RLD alliance will be held at Christian College Ground in Mainpuri.
कल लोकसà¤à¤¾ कà¥à¤·à¥‡à¤¤à¥à¤° मैनपà¥à¤°à¥€ और आà¤à¤µà¤²à¤¾ में होगी महागठबंधन की संयà¥à¤•à¥à¤¤ महारैली।
आप à¤à¥€ जà¥à¤¡à¤¼à¥‡à¤‚ हमारे साथ - चलें #MahaGathbandhan से #MahaParivartan की ओर।
à¤à¤• à¤à¥€ वोट न घटने पाà¤
à¤à¤• à¤à¥€ वोट न बà¤à¤Ÿà¤¨à¥‡ पाठpic.twitter.com/QccIiFDjMX
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) April 18, 2019