Mayawati to launch BSP campaign in Meerut today
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati is likely to motivate anti-BJP voters to support the blue brigade by playing Dalit-Muslim card in a public rally in Meerut on Monday. The BSP chief will address her first public meeting in Meerut after the party’s defeat in the assembly election. She will also address meetings in other parts of UP in future.
LUCKNOW :Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati is likely to motivate anti-BJP voters to support the blue brigade by playing Dalit-Muslim card in a public rally in Meerut on Monday.
Besides attacking the Centre and the state government, Mayawati may also ask the party cadre to gear up for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The BSP chief will address her first public meeting in Meerut after the party’s defeat in the 2017 assembly election. She will also address meetings in other parts of the state in future.
The BSP has launched its campaign from west UP which has been its stronghold. Since late’ 90s, the BSP had been winning maximum seats in the assembly and Lok Sabha election from this region with the support of Jatav and Muslims. In 2012 assembly election, the SP gained foothold in the area but the BJP made inroads into SP-BSP vote bank after Muzaffarnagar riots.
The upsurge of Bhim Sena during the caste conflict in Saharanpur became a matter of concern for the BSP leadership. Mayawati visited the spot to ensure Dalits do not switch sides to the Sena.
With the show of strength in the rally, the BSP will send across the message that it enjoys the support of the people and will thwart the plans of rival parties to make inroads into her vote bank.
Before the launch of the BSP’s campaign for Lok Sabha election, five senior leaders raised the banner of revolt spoiling Mayawati’s plan to keep the flock together.
As she knew that the BSP polled 20% votes in the assembly election, Mayawati called upon the party leaders to build a coalition of Dalit- Muslim-Backward caste ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Mayawati resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 18 for not being allowed to speak on Dalit atrocities and is likely to highlight her sacrifice for the community in the rally.
She has not responded to the offer by non-NDA parties to join the secular front. She also upset the opposition parties’ plan to form anti-BJP alliance by turning down the proposal to attend the ‘BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao’ rally organised by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad in Patna on August 27.
“Though the BSP has suffered a defeat in three consecutive elections, it has managed to maintain its hold on its vote bank. If non-NDA parties want to open the door for the BSP, they should come with a dignified offer for alliance,” a BSP leader said.
Raising question over the effort of the opposition parties to form a secular front, Mayawati earlier said before forging a pre-poll alliance the parties should finalise the seat-sharing formula.
“The durability of an alliance is dependent on the distribution of seats among partners. The tussle for seats will send a wrong signal to the people and ultimately benefit the BJP,” she said.
THE BSP CHIEF WILL ADDRESS HER FIRST PUBLIC MEETING IN MEERUT AFTER THE PARTY’S DEFEAT IN THE 2017 ASSEMBLY ELECTION.