BSP to hold cadre camps, meets to counter BJP’s plan
LUCKNOW: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is planning to counter Dalit outreach programme of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by organising cadre camps and holding meetings of its ‘bhaichara’ committees in Dalit-dominated villages.
“Zonal coordinators of the party have been entrusted with the task of holding meetings to make Dalits aware about the BJP’s game plan,” said a senior BSP leader familiar with the developments in the party.
“We will inform Dalits that instead of their welfare, the BJP was only concerned about their votes. BSP has been working for the welfare of weaker sections of the society,” he said.
BSP president Mayawati is camping in Delhi to finalise the strategy for 2019 Lok Sabha election as well as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh assembly polls due this year.
She will also address public meetings in Karnataka which is going to polls on May 12.
“When behenji (Mayawati) returns to Lucknow, a meeting of senior leaders and office-bearers will be held to finalise the meetings of cadre camps and ‘bhaichara’ committees,” the leader said.
After its alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), Mayawati is busy drafting the strategy for the Lok Sabha election. Besides BSP leaders, she is also holding meetings with non-NDA parties including the Congress, TMC, NCP, INLD and RJD. She has already finalised alliance with INLD in Haryana and is trying to widen the anti-NDA front.
“In view of her meetings with leaders of various political parties, her stay in Delhi is getting prolonged. She even skipped the programme organised to mark the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar on April 14,” the BSP leader said.
According to sources in the BSP, the Congress is willing to join the SP-BSP front in UP but Mayawati is not ready to open its door for the Congress.
BSP is maintaining a close watch on BJP’s ‘sahbhoj’ (community feast), night halts by its leaders in Dalit-dominated areas, their visits to Dalit memorials, yatras and schemes being launched by the BJP to woo the community.