<p>Lucknow: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a> found itself embarrassed on Wednesday after some of its leaders reached BSP supremo Mayawati’s residence here to meet her, a move widely seen as an attempt “explore” the possibility of a tie-up for the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, only to be turned away.</p><p>Amid the political buzz, although the Congress, in an apparent damage-control exercise, sought to distance itself from the controversy by claiming the visit was merely a “goodwill gesture” intended to inquire about her health, sources said the party high command had sought an explanation from the leaders who attempted to meet Mayawati.</p><p>Those who went to Mayawati’s residence included Congress MP Tanuj Punia and the party’s SC/ST cell president Rajendra Gautam.</p>.Fuel price hike will severely impact lives of poor, working-class families: Mayawati.<p>“We had held a meeting at the party office here, and after that we decided to go to Mayawati’s residence to inquire about her health. It was not pre-planned,” Punia said later.</p><p>Incidentally, the Congress leaders’ attempt to meet Mayawati came barely a day after Samajwadi Party president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/akhileshyadav">Akhilesh Yadav</a> said his party’s alliance with the Congress would continue in the next Assembly elections.</p><p>Speculation is rife that the Congress leaders had carried a message for Mayawati from senior party leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rahul-gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</a>, who was on a two-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency of Raebareli, though party sources categorically denied the claims.</p><p>Punia said Mayawati was a senior Dalit leader and that their intention was merely to meet her as a “goodwill gesture”. “No politics should be seen in it,” he added.</p><p>Sources said the Congress wanted to bring the BSP into the I.N.D.I.A bloc and was therefore trying to woo Mayawati, although she has repeatedly made it clear that her party would contest the Assembly polls on its own.</p><p>BSP sources said the Congress leaders had not sought an appointment to meet “Bahenji” (Mayawati). They also said they had no prior information about the visit.</p><p>Congress sources here said the party had taken a serious view of the visit and had sought an explanation from the leaders who went there. “Such meetings are fixed in advance by senior leaders,” a state party leader said.</p>
<p>Lucknow: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a> found itself embarrassed on Wednesday after some of its leaders reached BSP supremo Mayawati’s residence here to meet her, a move widely seen as an attempt “explore” the possibility of a tie-up for the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, only to be turned away.</p><p>Amid the political buzz, although the Congress, in an apparent damage-control exercise, sought to distance itself from the controversy by claiming the visit was merely a “goodwill gesture” intended to inquire about her health, sources said the party high command had sought an explanation from the leaders who attempted to meet Mayawati.</p><p>Those who went to Mayawati’s residence included Congress MP Tanuj Punia and the party’s SC/ST cell president Rajendra Gautam.</p>.Fuel price hike will severely impact lives of poor, working-class families: Mayawati.<p>“We had held a meeting at the party office here, and after that we decided to go to Mayawati’s residence to inquire about her health. It was not pre-planned,” Punia said later.</p><p>Incidentally, the Congress leaders’ attempt to meet Mayawati came barely a day after Samajwadi Party president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/akhileshyadav">Akhilesh Yadav</a> said his party’s alliance with the Congress would continue in the next Assembly elections.</p><p>Speculation is rife that the Congress leaders had carried a message for Mayawati from senior party leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rahul-gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</a>, who was on a two-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency of Raebareli, though party sources categorically denied the claims.</p><p>Punia said Mayawati was a senior Dalit leader and that their intention was merely to meet her as a “goodwill gesture”. “No politics should be seen in it,” he added.</p><p>Sources said the Congress wanted to bring the BSP into the I.N.D.I.A bloc and was therefore trying to woo Mayawati, although she has repeatedly made it clear that her party would contest the Assembly polls on its own.</p><p>BSP sources said the Congress leaders had not sought an appointment to meet “Bahenji” (Mayawati). They also said they had no prior information about the visit.</p><p>Congress sources here said the party had taken a serious view of the visit and had sought an explanation from the leaders who went there. “Such meetings are fixed in advance by senior leaders,” a state party leader said.</p>