Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Wednesday kicked off her election campaign for the first phase of the State Assembly polls, offering something to every section of society in western Uttar Pradesh — farmers, children, Dalits, youngsters, Muslims and the influential upper caste vote bank.
While trying to project the BSP as the solution to farmers’ woes in this region where the agrarian community is facing a severe crisis with many farmers having committed suicide last year, Ms. Mayawati promised to waive loans.
‘Agenda of RSS’
Ms. Mayawati who appeared confident while addressing a mammoth rally — her first since the Model Code of Conduct came into force — accused the Modi government of “trying to implement the RSS agenda and conspiring to remove the reservation”.
Addressing the crowd which included thousands of youngsters, the former State CM promised that “they will be recruited in police and other departments with complete transparency”.
Amid allegations on the SP government of recruiting only candidates belonging to Yadav community, Ms. Mayawati said that the vacancies which were filled by the incumbent government will be “investigated and fresh vacancies will be advertised”.
Wooing the poor, Ms. Mayawati said that instead of “bad quality food which was being served in the mid-day meal in the government schools, the BSP government would offer milk, eggs and cake along with quality food.”
Promising a slew of welfare schemes she said that instead of distributing laptops and mobile phones as was the promise of Akhilesh Yadav-led SP in its manifesto, the BSP would “give direct financial aid to people in need”.
Ms. Mayawati said that if she comes to power in the State, she would “stop harassment of minorities on the name of cow slaughter and terrorism and would insure safety and security to them”.
Exodus issue raised
The BSP supremo picked up the issue of exodus of people which was raised by the BJP specifically in the context of Hindus in Kairana, and secularise it beyond the issue of religion, and said, “People in the State had to leave their homes due to employment during the Congress government; due to law and order issue during the SP rule; and due to demonetisation in the Modi government. The BSP government would ensure safety and security to every one and will prevent all kinds of exodus of people from different parts of western U.P. Goons will be sent back to jail to ensure strict law and order in the State”.
In order to target the Modi government at the Centre and the Akhilesh Yadav government in the State, Ms. Mayawati raised Muzaffarnagar riots, lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, Bulandshahr gang-rape, beating of Dalits in Una in Gujarat and suicide of Rohith Vemula.
This was the first of over 50 election rallies the BSP supremo plans to address during this Assembly election season.
