To make a comeback, Mayawati working on two-pronged strategy

LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati is working on a two-pronged strategy to make a comeback in the national politics.

Along with gearing up the party cadre for the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana and by-poll on 11 seats in Uttar Pradesh, she is also working to quell the rebellion within her party.

After finalizing candidates for the 11 assembly by-poll seats in UP, the BSP chief has shifted to Delhi to draw up a strategy for Haryana and Maharashtra polls with senior party leaders. The office-bearers of state units of both the states were summoned to Delhi to finalize the candidates. On Sunday BSP released a list of 41 candidates for Haryana assembly election. A senior party leader said the list of the candidates for Maharashtra assembly election will be announced soon.

Mayawati had announced to go solo in Maharashtra and Haryana. NCP chief Sharad Pawar had a meeting with BSP national general secretary SC Mishra in Delhi in July. He offered the BSP to join NCP-Congress alliance. But the talks hit a hurdle over the seat-sharing formula.

In Haryana, too, the BSP called off the alliance with Jannayak Janta Party. “BSP will field candidates on

288 seats in Maharashtra and 90 in Haryana”, said a party leader. After finalizing the candidates, Mayawati will the launch election campaign in both the states in the first week of October. The UP state unit leaders have been directed to campaign on the 11 seats in the state. BSP has fielded senior leaders considered local heavyweights in the by-election. To check a repeat of Rajasthan, where 6 MLAs defected to the Congress, Mayawati is keeping a watch on the activities of various state units. She has sent loyal party leaders to the states where BSP has support base, especially among the Dalit community -- Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Karnataka. The state in-charges are sending regular feedback to the party president. Also, to check rebellion, she dissolved the Rajasthan state unit and initiated action against dissidents in UP. The district unit office bearers of Kaushambi and Prayagraj districts have been expelled. The in-charges of some of the assembly seats have been also been shown the door. The zonal in-charges have been directed to maintain a watch on the activities of suspicious leaders and submit report.

The leaders of the Haryana state unit were also warned of action after unruly scenes in the meeting held in Faridabad last week. Mayawati has also directed party leaders and office bearers to mobilize resources to secure victory in the UP by-poll.