Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

MAYA CAMPAIGN BLITZ ON CARDS

- Rajesh Kumar Singh rajesh.singh@hindustant­imes.com

LUCKNOW: Encouraged by the success of its first election rally in Chhattisga­rh on October 13, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) plans a series of rallies of its chief Mayawati in the poll-bound states of Chhattisga­rh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana. A senior BSP leader familiar with the matter on Sunday said ‘Behanji’ (Mayawati) will address 26 rallies in the four states. Mayawati is camping in Delhi to give final touches to her election campaign, he said. “She will address her next rally on October 25, probably in Rajasthan,” the leader said.

LUCKNOW: Encouraged by the success of its first election rally in Chhattisga­rh on October 13, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) plans a series of rallies of its chief Mayawati in the poll-bound states of Chhattisga­rh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana.

A senior BSP leader on Sunday said ‘Behanji’ (Mayawati) will address 26 rallies in the four states. Mayawati is camping in Delhi to give final touches to her election campaign, he said.

“She will address her next rally on October 25, probably in Rajasthan,” the leader said.

Since elections in Chhattisga­rh and Madhya Pradesh are being held earlier, she (Mayawati) will focus on these two states, he said.

On October 13, there was a large turnout at the joint rally held by Janta Congress Chhattisga­rh (JCC), led by former CM Ajit Jogi, and Mayawati in Bilaspur.

Jogi had then claimed that it was one of the biggest rallies in recent years in the Bilaspur and had set the ground for formation of a JCC-BSP government in Chhattisga­rh. At the rally, Mayawati had flayed the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party and claimed that both the parties would meet their nemesis in the assembly election. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided to field candidates on all 119 assembly seats in Telangana. Rajya Sabha MP and in-charge of Telangana Vir Singh said the party chief will launch election campaign on October 28 in the state.

In the 2014 assembly election, BSP had won two seats even as a Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) wave swept the state.

BSP candidates Kaneru Konappa and Allala Indrakaran Reddy secured victory from Sirpur and Nirmal assembly seats respective­ly. “BSP is hopeful of increasing its seat tally with increase of support base in Adilabad and Karimnagar area,” Singh said. In Chhattisga­rh, Bahujan Samaj Party has decided to field candidates on 33 seats, JCC on 55 while CPI will field candidates on two seats. BSP got shot in the arm when Richa Jogi, daughter-inlaw of Ajit Jogi, decided to contest on BSP ticket from Ahaltara assembly seat.

The BSP has influence in tribal and Dalit dominated areas of the state known for its forest and waterfalls. In the 2013 assembly election, the BSP polled 4.27% votes and won one seat. The BSP and JCC hope to gain ground in the state making inroads into Congress and BJP vote base.

After snubbing Congress, the BSP plans to field candidates on all 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh.

In the 2013 assembly election, BSP fielded candidates on 227 assembly seats in MP had grabbed 4 seats by polling 6.29% votes.

The BSP has support base among the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe voters in Bundelkhan­d, Chambal and Baghelkhan­d region. In Rajasthan, too, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided to go solo, as the talks with Congress have run into rough weather. In the desert state also, the Congress did not offer respectabl­e seats to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), rather some senior Congress leaders played down the hold of BSP over scheduled caste and scheduled tribe voters.

BSP IS HOPEFUL OF INCREASING ITS SEAT TALLY WITH INCREASE OF SUPPORT BASE IN ADILABAD AND KARIMNAGAR AREA.

 ?? HT FILE ?? On October 13, there was a large turnout at the joint rally held by Janta Congress Chhattisga­rh (JCC), led by former CM Ajit Jogi, and Mayawati in Bilaspur in Chhattisga­rh.
HT FILE On October 13, there was a large turnout at the joint rally held by Janta Congress Chhattisga­rh (JCC), led by former CM Ajit Jogi, and Mayawati in Bilaspur in Chhattisga­rh.

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