Lucknow: Former UP leader and BSP Party’s Chief Mayawati, is all set to challenge the BJP government and rebuild her lost political ground in UP which was once uplifted as a Dalit base during her role as UP’s CM. After resigning from Rajya Sabh, Mayawati is now planning to organize rallies against the Modi led government in UP on 18th of every month as a remembrance of her resignation from Rajya Sbha, until May 2018. The first rally is scheduled for Saharanpur on September 18 with the second one planned for Varanasi on October 18.
BSP Chief resigned from Rajya Sabha in protest after she was not allowed to speak about the atrocities towards Dalits in Saharanpur.
According to the BSP sources, Mayawati has asked all her party functionaries which included Rajya Sabha MPs Satish Chandra Misra, Ashok Siddhartha and Munqad Ali( BSP Coordinator for Poorvanchal region) to look into the planned Varanasi rally and work towards the proposed rally’s success.
The sources also said the members have been instructed to bring along party’s supporters from areas of Azamgarh, Ballia and Mau apart from Varanasi.
She will be challenging PM Modi in his Parliamentary constituency, a decision which was likely taken by her in a meeting with party members in Delhi.
Referring to the scheduled rally in Varansi, BSP leader Afzal Ansar was quoted saying as “It’s going to be a show of party strength in the region” and that the venue vill soon be finalized by the party members.
The Poorvanchal region consists of Dalits and Most Backward Castes(MBCs), the latter which constitutes to a 40% in the region, two groups which once proved to be a key towards the Party’s success in past.
“The scenario has been changing significantly after 2014 Lok Sabha elections when Dalits started siding with the BJP. In 2017 assembly elections, MBCs followed suit and voted heavily in favour of the BJP ” says a political expert.
A senior BSP leader was quoted saying “Behenji (Mayawati) plans a show of aggression against BJP after resigning from the Rajya Sabha and we hope the show will be a success”.