LUCKNOW: Responding to the scepticism among gathbandhan leaders over her statement that her party candidates, if not winning, would hurt the BJP’s prospects instead of SP-BSP alliance, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said she would prefer to die rather than helping the BJP in the ongoing elections.
“I’ve said very clearly that the Congress is fighting this election on its own strength. I’d rather die than benefit the BJP. We have chosen candidates that are either fighting very strongly or cutting BJP votes,” Priyanka said in Rae Bareli on Thursday. She clarified that she did not say her party had put weak candidates.
The clarification came after alliance leaders alleged that the Congress was splitting anti-BJP votes by fielding its own candidates in UP. Priyanka also addressed a meeting of SP works in Unchahar segment of Rae Bareli. “I can never have anything to do with that (BJP’s) destructive ideology, never,” she asserted.
Earlier, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had claimed that the Congress wanted to benefit the BJP. BSP chief Mayawati reaction was sharper, alleging that the BJP and the Congress were two sides of the same coin. “Don’t waste your vote on the Congress,” she told voters.