In an effort to reorganise the party base after the electoral rout in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday announced to contest the coming urban local bodies poll on the party symbol. This would be the first time in two decades that the party would be contesting the local bodies poll on its symbol after 1997.
Addressing senior leaders and other officials at the party's headquarters in lucknow, Mayawati said that though the party's base was less in urban areas, yet it would contest the elections on party symbol.
"We want to increase our base to counter the conspiracy of communal and castiest forces who were trying to confuse our supporters and cadres," she said. The meeeting was attended by all senior leaders including newly appointed vice-president and her brother Anand Kumar.
The UP urban local bodies poll is scheduled to be held in June- July next and could witness an interesting battle of ballots after the Assembly polls with both SP, BSP and ruling BJP announcing to contest on party symbols.
In the Assembly polls, the BSP came third and won just 19 seats but gt around 23 per cent vote share. During the past five years, the BSP never contested any by-poll and never participated in panchayat elections.
In her brief speech, Mayawati lambasted the BJP for conspiring against her party and trying to confuse heer supporters.
" After gaining power in UP and Uttarakhand by tampering EVMs, now the BJP was trying to hit BSP the most. We have to unite and thwart this conspiracy. The BJP and RSS were trying to subvert the Constitution which will hit the democracy the most. The Dalits and backwards would turn into slaves if the agenda of BJP was fulfilled," she alleged.
Asking leaders to increase BSP's mass base and counter the rumours of Opposition parties, Mayawati said that they should connect with the people and make them aware of the BJP's conspiracy and how it was trying to end their democratic rights.