A screenshot of a Hindi news channel graphic showing a statement made by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati in October 2020 on 'supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if needed' is being shared with the false claim that her party will align with the saffron party in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections next month.
BOOM found that Mayawati had made this statement back in October 2020, ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections (Upper hoise of the UP assembly). Mayawati had then said that her party would vote for any other opposition party, including the BJP, to defeat the SP candidates after speculations of BSP leaders defecting to the Samajwadi Party were being reported. However, she later clarified in November 2020 that BSP would not join hands with the BJP due to ideological differences.
The assembly election is going to be held in Uttar Pradesh in 7 phases from February 10, 2022, till March 7, 2022, with the results to be declared on March 10, 2022.
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The ticker on the viral graphic when translated reads, "Will support BJP if needed: Mayawati" (बीजेपी को सपोर्ट करना पड़ा तो करेंगे : मायावती) below it we can read, "Rebel MLSs of BSP" (BSP के बागी विधायक)
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The graphic is being shared widely on Facebook with the misleading claim.
BOOM also received the viral news graphic on our WhatsApp tipline number (7700906588).
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FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the viral news graphic is from October 2020 when Mayawati had made the statement ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections. Mayawati had then said that her party would vote for any other opposition party, including the BJP, to defeat SP after speculations surfaced that BSP leaders were going to defect to the Samajwadi Party.
We ran a relevant keyword search and found the same screenshot was posted on Facebook on October 29, 2020, where we can spot the channel name written - Zee Uttar Pradesh Uttarkhand.
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Taking a hint from this, we traced the original broadcast and found the Facebook live stream by Zee UP UK on October 29, 2020, showing Mayawati's press conference live. At the 14 minutes time stamp, we can see the same viral news graphic with the same news ticker.
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We also found news reports on this statement by Mayawati in October 2020, when she had said that her party would vote for any other political outfit, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, in order to ensure the defeat of the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party in the elections to the Upper House of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, and the Rajya Sabha.
News agency ANI had also tweeted a clip of Mayawati's statement then.
However, a few days later, on November 2, 2020, BSP chief Mayawati said that BSP will not forge an alliance with BJP, adding that she would retire from politics but would not support the saffron party due to ideological differences.
BOOM Hindi had previously debunked a newspaper clipping with the same statement by Mayawati which was being shared in December 2021 with misleading claims linking it to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections next month.