The war of words between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party has intensified over suggestions that Mayawati should join the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

Mayawati, on Sunday, hit back at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over his remarks on her credibility, while her party MP, Maluk Nagar, termed the opposition alliance meaningless without his party chief being projected as the prime ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc.

Akhilesh Yadav said that Mayawati need not bother about the opposition alliance.

“The alliance is hale and hearty, and is doing the needful on seat-sharing and other related issues. We will win the 2024 elections and it would be better for the BSP to look into its affairs,” the SP chief said here on Sunday.

BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday asked her SP counterpart Akhilesh Yadav to introspect before making any unrestrained jibe at her party.

Mayawati’s comment comes a day after the Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at Mayawati on Saturday. Asked whether the BSP would join the INDIA bloc, Yadav asked, “Who will give the guarantee that she will not shift loyalty to the Bharatiya Janata Party?”

In a post on ‘X’ in Hindi, Mayawati said, “'The SP chief, who is helpless owing to his and his government’s anti-Dalit policies, habits and style of working, should introspect before making any unrestrained comment on the BSP and check how tainted his reputation is in strengthening the BJP and reconciling with them.”

“Also, who can forget the blessings given by the then SP chief to the BJP before and after winning the parliamentary election. And then, how can the public forget the meetings of the SP leadership with the BJP leadership after their government was formed (at the Centre)? In such a situation, it would be appropriate if SP fights communal forces,” she added.

Though officially the BSP has shown reluctance in joining with the INDIA bloc, Mayawati, facing existential crisis, is keen to join the opposition alliance.  Mayawati wants to expedite the entry of her party in the INDIA bloc before January 15, her birthday.

The BSP MP said on Sunday that without Mayawati being projected as the prime ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc, the alliance was meaningless in Uttar Pradesh and many other states where the BSP vote share was in double digits.

Commenting on the seat-sharing in the opposition alliance, the SP chief on Saturday said, “INDIA bloc will take a decision very soon by taking the SP and other parties along. Let the Surya Uttarayan take place. All decisions will be taken as soon as the Surya Uttarayan occurs,” he said.

Surya Uttarayan (Sun transitioning from south to north) occurs from Makar Sankranti (January 14).

Akhilesh Yadav further stressed, “The SP is in the INDIA bloc with full responsibility. Information about who will be given what responsibilities in the alliance will be provided very soon.”

Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats. The SP has tie-ups with Rashtriya Lok Dal and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) in the state. Both RLD and SP are part of the INDIA bloc.