BSP not to contest Rampur bypoll, Mayawati strategises to give new lease of life to party

Lucknow: After biting the dust in the recently held Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is gearing up to re-energise its cadres through a renewed strategy. The BSP supremo has decided that it will not contest the bypoll for the Rampur parliamentary seat and also not support any party on this seat. By-elections for the Rampur and Azamgarh seats will be held on June 23. The by-polls have been necessitated after the resignations of Azam Khan and SP President Akhilesh Yadav, who won the assembly polls.

In a statement issued here on Sunday after a two-day party review meeting presided over by Mayawati, the BSP said, "The party will not contest the Lok Sabha by-elections scheduled on June 23 from the Rampur seat as we have to work on this seat to make it strong. The party will also not support anyone on this seat. Party has already decided to contest from Azamgarh seat".

Mayawati reportedly said that the BSP is a party with limited resources and it is fighting parties which are run with the support of capitalists so "we have to make the party strong by holding small cadre-based meetings," adding "We did not get expected results in the assembly polls even after hard work."

She, however, expressed confidence that a "new political development will give a new lease of life to the party and for this attempts are on," adding "After uprooting the Congress from the state, the BSP is the only party that can do the same for the BJP." 

The party asserted that it was "capable" of shaking the roots of the "anti-poor" and "pro-capitalists" BJP in the state. Mayawati advised party workers in the meeting to hold cadre meets on the issues of employment and basic problems of people.

She alleged that the ruling party was raising religious issues and disputes in the state to divert people's attention, adding that due to lack of upkeep, memorials and parks constructed in her regime in Lucknow are in bad shape and an adequate budget was not being allocated for them. 

PTI report said that Mayawati stated that an atmosphere of atrocities on poor and anarchy is seen in the BJP rule but people cannot muster the courage to speak against them, adding "Poor and unemployed are targeted in the name of anti-encroachment drives and they are made targets with the terror of bulldozer. The right use of bulldozer is for making roads and construction works but it has been put for destruction works."

(With Agency Inputs)