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Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi
Union Telecommunications Minister Pramod Mahajan accepted that Bhartiya Janta Party's electoral debacle in Uttar Pradesh proves that his party overestimated it's own strength and underestimated Mayawati's strength.
"BSP has given a fatal blow to BJP by snatching away sizeable number of our votes and seats," he said.
While explaining the BSP's electoral success to rediff.com, Mahajan said, "All the surveys have been proved wrong. This has happened because BSP's voters (dalits) are not giving their opinions to surveyors or they don't talk to media. They are not visible. They don't talk, they just vote! BSP has got the kind of voters who don't express their support publicly, they go to polling booths and vote for BSP."
When asked about the next moves of his party, he said, " Like a game of bridge, partners in politics are looking afresh at every deal. One has nothing to do with the last game. Every game is played with new issues, new equations."
Asked if the BJP would push the Centre to recommend President's rule in the state, Mahajan said, "No. I am very crystal clear about this issue. And I can say with authority that we will be sitting in opposition. We won UP in 1996, and ruled till 2001. But the verdict clearly says that people don't desire BJP."
Asked to comment on the possibility of Samajwadi Party forming the next government, Mahajan said, "Who is going to rule UP is none of BJP's business. If you allow me, I would like to add that we wish every success to the people of Uttar Pradesh to have a stable government. If they don't get a stable government out of the fractured verdict, it won't be BJP's fault."
