BSP of no significance outside Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath Singh

Lucknow, Nov 25 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh's ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was inconsequential anywhere outside the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh said here Tuesday while declaring that Chief Minister Mayawati would not realise her aspiration to become prime minister.

'Well, everyone has the right to aspire to rise to heights, but I do not see BSP coming up in any significant manner in any state other than UP,' Rajnath Singh told reporters in reference to Mayawati's prime ministerial ambitions and her effort to expand her base.

Rajnath Singh, who was here to attend a wedding, said before departing for New Delhi that the BJP would win the forthcoming assembly elections in at least four states.

'I am confident that our party will get a clear majority to form the next government in each of these four states that are currently going to the polls,' he said without specifying which of the six states he meant.

While Chhattisgarh has just finished with its assembly elections, the six-phased Jammu and Kashmir polls are on. Elections in Delhi, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will be held over the next few days.

He disagreed with the common notion that the assembly poll results would set the pace for the Lok Sabha elections next year.

'While I do not see the assembly elections as any kind of semi final for the Lok Sabha general elections, I can see the widening aura of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which is already attracting more and more allies,' he pointed out.

Rajnath Singh also exuded confidence about voting out the current Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and replacing it with a BJP-led NDA regime in New Delhi.

The BJP president denied media reports about Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K.S. Sudarshan asking him to mend fences with former chief minister and party colleague Kalyan Singh .

'I did meet Mr Sudarshan at a wedding function last night, but we never discussed any political issue; the story in a local daily is just a figment of somebody's imagination,' he stressed.

Kalyan Singh's disenchantment with the party is visible, say party observers. Though the BJP leadership tried to placate him by conceding to his demand of giving the state's only Rajya Sabha berth to his protégé Kusum Rai, problems continue.

Kalyan Singh, who has not been attening state level party meets and conventions, wanted the Bulandshahr Lok Sabha seat for his son Rajvir Singh but the BJP leadership's reluctance to do has left him upset.