A rare union: Mayawati seeks votes for Mulayam

In a rare turn of events, apparently forced by electoral compulsions, once sworn rivals Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati share the stage at an election rally at Mainpuri in UP on Friday.

Mayawati, who was attacked by SP workers at the state guest house in Lucknow 24 years back had vowed never to side with SP. On Friday, she not only welcomed Mulayam on the stage but also sought votes for him.

Despite her alliance with the SP, Mayawati indicated that she had not yet forgotten the infamous Guest House episode. ''You (people) must be wondering why did I join hands with SP... It was necessary... sometimes difficult decisions have to be taken,'' she said.

Mayawati also heaped praise on Mulayam in her speech. ''Mulayam, unlike Narendra Modi, is the real leader of the backward classes... he has done a lot for Mainpuri,'' she remarked before the cheering crowd.

The BSP supremo stood up from her chair, when Mulayam reached on the stage at the rally.

The SP patron also thanked Mayawati for addressing election rally in his support. ''It is an important moment... I have great respect for her (Mayawati),'' he said.

Mayawati and Mulayam had turned foes after the BSP had withdrawn its support to the SP-BSP coalition government and joined hands with the BJP to form another coalition government in the state in 1995.

Angry over the withdrawal of support, SP workers had attacked Mayawati, while she was holding meeting with her party workers at the state 'Guest House' on Meerabai Marg here on June 2, 1995.

Mayawati was saved by Bramha Dutt Dwivedi, a senior BJP leader. Since then, the two parties never tied up and remained bitter foes.

SP-BSP and RLD have entered into an electoral alliance in the forthcoming LS polls. BSP will be contesting on 38 seats while SP and RLD will contest 37 and three seats respectively.