As the date of polling in Uttarakhand for the Lok Sabha elections approaches near, election campaigns in state have picked up speed. With star campaigners of the Bharatiya Janata Party already starting campaign and those of Congress lined up to start shortly, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is also gearing up for its chief Mayawati’s rallies in Roorkee and Rudrapur. The BSP in alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP) is contesting on four Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand.
BSP Mahanagar chief and candidate from Tehri Lok Sabha constituency, Satyapal told The Pioneer on Monday that BSP chief Mayawati is scheduled to address public rallies in Roorkee and Rupdrapur on April 6. He said, “Locals no longer have faith in BJP and Congress. Though they still view our party as an outsider, they also know that Garhwal and Kumaon regions were more prosperous when the BSP government was in office during the time of undivided Uttar Pradesh. In fact during her tenure as chief minister of UP, Behenji made four new districts and 14 blocks in what we presently call Uttarakhand.”
Regarding the rallies he said, “Our rallies will not be filled with people who have been bribed to be there, just to show numbers. Our rally will have people who are fed up with these so called national parties, their leaders and their hollow promises. We are expecting crowds of about 1.5 lakh.”
About the main issue BSP chief is likely to speak on during the rallies, he said, “I cannot be sure about what issues she is going to raise. However, our party has always been vocal about the betterment of minorities and also about the equality of followers of various religions. Look at the education sector- the state lost the only NIT we had to Rajasthan. In places like Tehri constituency, one should ask the MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, what she has done in the past five years and you’ll know about state’s current situation. In Uttarakhand, unemployment, inflation and migration are the key problems and they will surely be discussed.”
It is pertinent to mention that in 2007 state assembly elections BSP won eight seats, in 2012 three and in 2017 none. Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar have traditionally been areas from where the BSP has received support of the voters.