First rally after BSP lost power to SP in 2012
Gearing up for a massive show of strength, the Bahujan Samaj Party will hold Saavdhan Rally here on Wednesday on the occasion of the 58th birthday of party’s national president Mayawati, the occasion party would use to launch its election campaign.
"It would be one of the biggest rallies the State has ever seen. People not only from across the State but also from other parts of the country would take part in the rally," party’s national general secretary Nassimmuddin Siddiqui said.
Through this rally, the BSP has already given a political statement when its leadership declared that in view of the Muzaffarnagar riots and the pitiable condition in which the people are living in camps, the party has decided to scale down Mayawati’s birthday celebrations.
This would be the first rally of Mayawati after she lost power in 2012 to Samajwadi Party. The party wants to make an indelible mark on the political horizon of Uttar Pradesh therefore has asked leaders to bring 5000 people from each assembly constituency. Going by the rough estimate the party expects around 8-10 lakh party workers at Rama Bai Ambedkar Maidan and Mayawati use this opportunity to send political message across her workers and political adversaries.
Moreover, this rally will be held at a time when BJP and SP are organizing a series of rallies. The father and son duo of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav have held three successful rallies in different parts of the state while BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had addressed five rallies so far. The next rally of both BJP and SP are slated for January 23.
"This is going to be mother of all rallies. Mayawati will prove her political might and show the world that BSP will sweep the next lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh," party’s senior leader Satish Chandra Mishra said in an informal chat.
He is not off the mark. People have already started trooping in. The rally ground has been turned into make-shift camp with thousands of people residing there. Braving this biting cold they could be seen beating the cold with the warmth of bonfire. The BSP has booked 11 pair of trains from all over the country to transport party activists to lucknow.
The government Railway Police (GRP) has sought the services of ten companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary for the event and to handle theinflux of the people. Railways have made special arrangements at the Charbagh railway station to manage the crowd.
The city has already been painted in a blue hue. Big hoardings of Mayawati with party leaders, majority of them candidates for the forthcoming lok Sabha elections, have come up in all the major crossings. The rally ground has also been decked up. Hi-tech audio system has been placed to ensure people get to hear Mayawati.