UP polls: Mayawati to launch election campaign in Agra today

BSP chief will highlight the development and social welfare schemes launched by in UP during her regime

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) plans to give momentum to its election campaign in western UP with party chief Mayawati’s proposed public meeting in Agra on Wednesday (February 2). To regain the party’s lost ground in the region, the BSP chief has decided to attack both the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and rival Samajwadi Party (SP) in public meetings.

BSP chief Mayawati will highlight the development and social welfare schemes launched by in UP during her regime (HT file)

She will highlight the development and social welfare schemes launched by her government (2007-2012). BSP chief Mayawati has announced that instead of constructing memorials, the focus of her government this time will be on development of Uttar Pradesh. The BSP government will give thrust to development, she said.

Terming the last 10 years of rule of the SP and the BJP governments “jungle raj”, lawlessness, arrogancy, discrimination on the basis of caste and religion, Mayawati said their regimes saw hardship and exploitation. The people should not be lured by the promises made by the leaders of the BJP and the SP, she said.

To gear up the party cadre for the polls, the BSP has launched a drive on the social media—”Jawab Kaun Dega” (who will be accountable?)—against the BJP and the SP highlighting the “anti-people policies” launched by the governments of both the parties. The party is raising issues like price rise, unemployment, death of farmers during their agitation, killing of members of Brahmin community, “atrocities” committed on Dalits and Muslims, communal violence, spurt in the cases of rape and crime against women through the drive.

BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said the BSP has sought a reply from the BJP and the SP on behalf of the people of Uttar Pradesh. “The five years of the SP government (2012-17) and the five years of the BJP (2017-22) has derailed the state from the path of the development,” he alleged.

“Under the BSP government, UP moved fast on the path of the development, rule of law was established and a series of welfare schemes were launched. The BSP government (2007-2012) worked on the ‘Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’ (for the welfare and happiness of all) formula without discrimination against any community or caste,” he claimed.

“The BSP chief’s public meeting will be organised while following Covid guidelines announced by the Election Commission of India on Kothi Meena Bazaar ground at Agra. The party candidates of 23 assembly constituencies in Agra division will be present in the meeting. The party chief will give a message to the voters across west UP in which polling will be held in 113 assembly constituencies in the first two phases on February 10 and 14,” said a BSP leader.

“In view of the relaxation given by the ECI on organising meetings in open grounds as well as indoor meetings with limited number of people, the BSP is planning more public meetings of the party chief in west UP,” the BSP leader said.

Mayawati has selected Agra for the launch of her election campaign that has a large chunk of Dalit voters. The district has been a stronghold of the party after the BSP founder Kanshi Ram launched the party in 1984. The BSP chief is working to regain the party’s hold over the base vote of the party—Dalits—after the saffron brigade made inroad into the Scheduled Caste votes in the 2017 assembly election.

The BSP chief will also counter the BJP plan to project former Uttarakhand governor Baby Rani Maurya who is contesting the assembly election from Agra rural seat as the Jatav community leader. The BSP has been able to win the support of the Bhim Army cadre in Saharanpur district. Several office bearers of the Bhim Army belonging to Jatav community joined the BSP expressing confidence in the leadership of Mayawati. “The party will give a message to the Dalit community that party chief Mayawati is their leader,” said the BSP leader.

“The BSP has announced candidates for the five phases of seven-phase UP assembly election. The party is contesting assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on its own while in Punjab it has forged an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The BSP has announced 30 star campaigners of the party for the UP polls that include Mayawati, her brother Anand Kumar, who is national vice president and SC Mishra,” said a BSP leader.