MYSURU: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, in her maiden election rally in the state on Wednesday, predicted the fall of the BJP in her home state Uttar Pradesh. She said that the BJP, which won 71 seats against a total 80 LS seats in UP in the previous LS elections in 2014, will be ‘washed out’ this time, as the BSP has entered a ‘ghatabandhan’ with the Samajawadi Party (SP). Even the recent ‘chowkidar’ slogan will not help them, she said. Addressing a massive crowd at Maharaja College grounds here, Mayawati promised to provide jobs to the poor in both public and private sectors if her party is voted to power.
Moreover, she said it would be a significant step to check poverty against doling out Rs 6,000 per month as announced by the Congress in its recent manifesto under the ‘NYAY’ (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) scheme. Mayawati also came down heavily on both the Congress and BJP in her 35-minute long speech, urging people to vote for the ‘haathi’ (elephant) the party’s symbol. Buoyed by the party’s performance in the recent assembly elections in the state in May 2018, where it succeeded in opening its account with N Mahesh elected from Kollegal (SC reserve) constituency in Chamarajanagar district, Mayawati wanted the electorate to maintain the same tempo in the coming elections too. IT raids only to weaken rivals Referring to the I-T raids across the country, Mayawati alleged, “Such is the situation that Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and also the I-T department are being used to target leaders from rival camps and weaken them further. Such acts are continuing even when we are on the verge of going to polls again.”
When it comes to corruption, both the Congress and BJP are same — the latter is associated with the Rafale scam, and the Congress is already in the dock with the Bofors scam, said Mayawati. Referring to the recent manifestos of both parties, Mayawati said BSP believes in ‘work more, talk less’, which is why BSP has not come out with any manifesto. On the recent decision of the BJP-led NDA government to provide 10 per cent reservation for economically-weaker sections among upper castes, Mayawati said, “It may become a reality when relevant measures are taken. However, previous decisions — GST and demonetisation — were taken without preparations. The effects are still being felt.” Mayawati brought her nephew Akshay Anand along to represent the youth.
Ballet performance a first at state rally
In a first at a political rally here, a dance ballet was performed, which brought tears to BSP supremo Mayawati’s eyes. The 10-minute long performance saw 15 dancers from the Avatar dance troupe from Chamarajanagar dance to a medley of Kannada songs with catchy lines like, ‘akka pradhani aagu’ (sister, you should be PM). The highlight of the show was a girl dressed as Mayawati, and the final sequence saw her being lifted in the air. Artistes from the Parivartana troupe also sang for the BSP chief.