Maya not to contest Lok Sabha polls

Setting at rest all speculations, BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday announced that she would not contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters here, Mayawati, however, said that she could consider entering the Lok Sabha through a by-poll at a later stage.

''After much deliberations, I have decided not to contest the LS polls....my presence in the fray may prove to be counterproductive to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh,'' she said.

Mayawati said that her party workers would flock her constituency to ensure her victory by a huge margin if she decided to be in the fray. ''In a such a situation, there may be less focus on other seats,'' she added.

The BSP supremo said the success of the grand alliance was more important than her personal victory at the hustings.

Mayawati said that she would kick start her election campaign from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, next month. She said that her party would contest the forthcoming LS polls in all parts of the country.

There were speculations that Mayawati could contest the LS polls from either Nagina or Ambedkar Nagar parliamentary constituency. She had earlier contested from these two seats and won from there.