Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe

BSP plans to showcase opposition unity on Mayawati’s birthday

Hindustan Times, Lucknow | By, Lucknow
Dec 19, 2018 12:23 PM IST

“Leaders of the Samajwadi Party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Janata Dal (Secular), Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and other regional parties will be invited to attend the programme.”

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is planning to utilise the 63rd birthday celebrations of its president Mayawati on January 15 to showcase the unity of parties trying to forge a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The BSP may also announce the launch of the party’s Lok Sabha election campaign on the occasion.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

A BSP leader, who did not wish to be named, said: “Leaders of the Samajwadi Party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Janata Dal (Secular), Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and other regional parties will be invited to attend the programme.”

Currently, Mayawati is camping in Delhi to review preparations for Lok Sabha elections and hold meetings with alliance partners to give final touches to the alliance formula.

The BSP leader said that by skipping the oath-taking ceremony of the Congress chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan she sent out a message that though BSP would support the Congress in two states but would not ally with it for Lok Sabha election.

Earlier on December 10, Mayawati as well as Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had skipped a meeting held by the opposition parties in Delhi.

“The policies and ideology of both the Congress and the BJP is against the weaker sections,” she had said.

The poor performance of the BSP in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh gave jolt to the party which was looking forward to emerge as a kingmaker.

In Karnataka, Mayawati had played a pivotal role in the formation of JD (S)-Congress-BSP government stopping the BJP from grabbing power.

“Behenji (Mayawati) is likely to land in Lucknow in the first week of January. She will hold a meeting with party leaders and office-bearers to review preparations for Lok Sabha elections,” another BSP leader said.

He said along with overhauling the organisation she might also announce the launch of a campaign against the state government’s anti-people policies to mobilise the cadre for election.

“District units of the party have been directed to start preparations at the grassroots level. The party will also draw a fresh plan to stop the Bhim Army, led by Dalit leader Chandrashekhar, from making inroads into the BSP vote bank,” he said.

BSP state unit president RS Kushwaha has held meetings with party office-bearers in all the districts.

“Booth level committees, bhai-chara committees and cadre camps have been activated in districts,” he said.

After losing 2007 assembly election, BSP has been celebrating Mayawati’s birthday as ‘Jankalyankari Diwas’.

“The party leaders help the needy, poor and handicapped. They also visit Dalit villages and hospitals to distribute fruits and blankets,” said a senior BSP leader.

Mayawati is likely to release the new edition of ‘A Travelogue of my Struggle Ridden Life and BSP movement’ penned by her along with a missionary calendar of the party.

The birthday bash of BSP chief is usually a big occasion for party workers. After a month-long donation campaign, the party leaders present a moneybag as gift to Mayawati. She then cuts a cake and addresses party leaders and workers.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
OPEN APP