Mayawati lashes out at opposition parties

Accusing opposition parties of trying to malign her government's image, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today asked party leaders and workers to remain alert and thwart their designs.

The increasing popularity of the BSP government had rattled the opposition parties which were trying to sully its image, she told a meeting of ministers, MLAs and senior party functionaries in Lucknow.

The chief minister asked party workers and leaders to remain alert and foil their designs.

She directed them to celebrate the birth anniversary of BSP founder Kanshiram across the state.

The BSP chief said after the death of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshiram took his humanitarian movement forward in a planned manner.

She said her government had taken a number of steps, including setting up of a memorial and an eco garden, to make sure that Kanshiram should be remembered for a long time.

Referring to her inspection of all the 72 districts in the state, the chief minister directed the ministers and MLAs to hold meetings in their respective areas and inform people about the steps taken by her government.