Mayawati not to contest LS polls

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Wednesday announced that she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"In view of the present circumstances and need of the country and the interests of the party, movement and public, it is the need of the hour that I do not contest the Lok Sabha polls. And this is the reason that I have decided not to contest the Lok Sabha polls," Mayawati said here.

"If it so happens that I have to get elected to the Lok Sabha later, I can contest from any seat by getting it vacated and become an MP. I will not face any problem," she said.

The BSP chief also said she does not want to see any damage to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

"Hence, winning each and every Lok Sabha seat is more important than my personal victory," Mayawati said.

She claimed that all she has to do is to go and file nomination papers and her party workers will discharge their responsibilities to ensure her victory.