Lucknow, May 16 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati lashed out at “BJP and company" on Thursday, saying “they want to take credit for providing free rations to the country's poor.”

In a post in Hindi on the social media platform X, Mayawati wrote, “Far from freeing the people of the country from rising inflation, poverty, unemployment and backwardness, BJP and company are bent upon extracting electoral gains for giving the poor a little bit of ration. This is not right as this is not kindness."

She further wrote, "Free ration to the poor is not a favour by the BJP or the government, it comes from the taxpayers’ money. Therefore, it is inappropriate to make fun of the poor by asking them for votes in return."

The BJP has mentioned it in its election manifesto that it will continue the scheme till 2029 after coming to power.