Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati (bottom right) stands near statues of herself (L) Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (C) and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Kansi Ram in a hall at a newly inaugurated park in Noida. (Photo: AP Photo)
Besides Mayawati, Munqad Ali, whose term in the Rajya Sabha expires on April 2, has been nominated for a second term.
Ali, who belongs to western UP, has been nominated for another term for the good showing of the BSP in the region, where the party had won 30 assembly seats (out of the 68). Munqad Ali’s assets are worth Rs1.19 crore.
On the strength of her party’s position — 80 MLAs —the BSP is in a position to elect two candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Mayawati’s term in the vidhan parishad was due to end in 2016. She was elected in 2010.
Speaking to the media after filing her nomination papers, Mayawati said after their victory SP workers had launched a reign of terror against the “sarva samaj” and the issue would be raised in he assembly.
She said the party had decided she should concentrate on national politics to widen the BSP’s base.
While not ruling out the possibility of mid-term elections, she said her focus was on the Lok Sabha polls of 2014.