Uttar Pradesh CM and BSP supremo Mayawati skirted the issues of withdrawal of support to the Centre and demanded reservation for Dalits among Muslims and Christians.
NEW DELHI: Addressing her first rally after the recent meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday skirted the issues of withdrawal of support to the Centre and demanded reservation for Dalits among Muslims and Christians.
Launching BSP's campaign in Delhi ahead of assembly elections scheduled later this year, Mayawati was not caustic in her attack on Congress and instead criticisied both BJP and Congress for their "misrule" since independence and "pro-rich policies".
Despite the rally being held on the eve of the budget session of Parliament, Mayawati did not refer to her earlier threat to take a decision on the issue of withdrawal of support to the Congress-led coalition at the Centre after March 10.
Even on the Taj corridor issue and the disproportionate assets case, she did not name Congress directly but charged BJP with "joining hands with other parties to tarnish her image" by raking up such issues.
She alleged BJP and Congress would resort to all possible "tactics of money and muscle power" to keep BSP away from power, whether it is Lok Sabha election or assembly poll in Delhi.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also cautioned against a "ploy" to project BSP as an anti-upper caste party and said the truth was just the opposite.
"Would I have allowed such a high post to Satish Chandra Mishra, a Brahmin, in my party and government if I was anti- upper caste," she said.
"BSP is the only party which believed in unity and prosperity of every section in society. While other parties are following the policy of divide and rule," she said.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister favoured reservation for Dalit converts into Muslim and Christian religion.
"I have written a letter to the Prime Minister demanding reservation for Dalits who have converted into Christian and Muslim religion," she said.
She also batted for reservation for poor upper class, Gujjars and asked her cadre to begin preparation for bringing BSP to power in Delhi.
Mayawati justified her practise of receiving gifts from her party workers saying "it will lead the party in making pro-poor policies when it comes to power."
"While parties like BJP and Congress are run by money from industrialists, our party runs on your hard-earned money," she said.
Coming to power with the assistance of industrialists, it was natural for BJP and Congress to follow "pro-rich" economic policies while BSP would formulate policies to help the downtrodden, she said.
"Unlike other Dalit leaders, I am not up for sale and till my last breath I would keep serving the downtrodden and the weak in the society," she said amid a huge gathering of her partymen at Ramlila grounds here.
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