On the eve of a Bahujan Samaj Party rally to mark the 10th death anniversary of its founder Kanshi Ram, the state capital has been painted blue with banners, posters and festoons.
BSP chief Mayawati will address a gathering of an estimated five lakh people at Manyawar Kanshi Ram Memorial which has been lit up with blue lights. Big hoardings and cut outs of late Kanshi Rram, Mayawati and other Dalit leaders have been put up across the city. Blue flags of the BSP and banners depicting its election symbol have virtually flooded the streets.
To make the rally a success, party leaders have ensured the participation of around 1000 supporters from each of the 403 Assembly seats of UP. While senior leaders have been camping in lucknow for the past few days, supporters have started pouring in for the rally.
The BSP has booked 22 special trains to ferry supporters for the rally. Of these special trains, 16 alone will come from west UP, while two have been booked from east UP's Ballia.
Waterproof tents have been put up to house nearly five lakh supporters. For them tonnes of vegetables, flour and cereals have been arranged beside 200 buses for their movement in and around the city. The accommodation for supporters will be at the sprawling Smriti Upvan.
Mayawati has earlier addressed hige rallies in Agra, Azamgarh, Saharanpur and Allahabad and is said to have reached out to the electorate in 220 Assembly seats through these.
"The lucknow rally will thus be a consolidated show of BSP strength. The focus will be on drawing people from all castes and communities especially Dalits, Brahmins and Muslims," said a senior party leader.
Meanwhile rebel BSP leaders are also organising functions to observe Kanshi Ram's death anniversary on Sunday. Rebel leader Daddu Prasad's Bahujan Mukti Party (BMP) has organised a rally at Ramabai Ambedkar ground where Patidar movement pioneer Hardik Patel could address the meeting. Similarly, another rebel RK Choudhury will also conduct a programme at Press Club.