Mayawati National Symbol, I Respect, Love Her: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Despite the frequent brickbats from Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati amid the ongoing election season, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday told NDTV that he “respected her contribution to the country” and considered her “a national symbol”. “Mayawati is a national symbol. She may not be from our party, she is from the BSP. But she has given a message to the country. I respect her, love her. Sure we have a political fight and we fight for the ideology of the Congress… (but) I respect her contribution to the country,” Gandhi said in an interview.