Overview
- A private media house published an alleged sting that, according to reports, quoted BSP state leaders demanding Rs 5 lakh to meet the party president and Rs 3.5 crore in instalments if a ticket was granted.
- Mayawati strongly denied the claims and said the party accepts lawful donations from supporters while running a transparent multi‑layered candidate‑selection process.
- The allegation and Mayawati’s rebuttal both circulated on Friday, with the BSP calling the report a staged conspiracy and urging workers to focus on election preparations.
- UP Congress leader Ajay Rai demanded action against the state unit president, while BJP and Samajwadi Party leaders contacted by reporters declined to comment.
- As of the latest coverage there is no public independent probe or formal disciplinary move reported and the dispute could influence pre‑election messaging and calls for verification of the sting’s claims.