Muslims advised to unite and stop Modi's march

Maya bares her prime ministerial ambitions

 

Agra April 18 (IANS)

 

Addressing a huge election rally Friday afternoon at the Kothi Meena Bazar ground, former UP chief minister and president of the Bahujan Samaj Party said her party would play a crucial "balancing power role" and if her supporters voted intelligently a "dalit ki beti" could be the next prime minister of India.

 

Attacking the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state Mayawati said "there was no rule of law," goondas, mafiosi, corrupt and criminals had taken over levers of power and had made life hell for the common man.

 

BSP's candidates from Agra reserved seat are Narayan Singh and from Fatehpur Sikri general seat Seema Upadhyaya. From Firozabad Thukar Vishwadeep Singh has been fielded.

 

Mayawati said her party was contesting all 80 seats from UP without entering into any alliance or seat adjustment, giving fair representation to muslims, Brahmins and backward castes in addition to dalits. She was hopeful of winning a major chunk of this to enable her to assert her role and fulfill a long cherished dream of the dalit saints and social reformers who wanted to see a dalit prime minister of India.

 

She said price rise and corruption were major issues that affected the middle classes and just about everyone. Both the UPA and earlier the NDA which ruled till 2004 were responsible for the sorry economic conditions in the country today.

 

"These parties came to power with support and financial help from big capitalists and industrial houses which then dictated their terms and influenced policy making. The Bahujan Samaj Party is entirely dependent on small donations from supporters and party workers and therefore fiercely independent of pressures."

 

"If you want respite from problems dont ever vote for these parties," she said.

 

The BSP supremo said UP was in a mess with rising number of crimes against women, rapes, loot, arson, murders and communal strifes, as in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. Even the apex court had held the Samajwadi Party responsible for the tension in west UP. The alarming law and order situation had halted developmental activities in the state.

 

Mayawati said her party's resolution to split the huge state of UP is still hanging fire with the central government not responding to the demand. Likewise the question of a High Court bench in west UP has been cold storaged by the central government which refused a special package for UP, that we had asked for.

 

Targeting Narendra Modi she said "he calls himself a backward but till date he has not told us which backward caste he comes from." She counselled muslims to stop Modi's march as it was Modi under whose rule in Gujarat there were riots and mayhem on a large scale after Godhra in 2002.  If he got elected "the country could once again be in a communal turmoil."  She called Rahul Gandhi "Shehenshah" whose policies were not clear.

 

Mayawati told the muslims to ensure there was no splitting of votes this time which could benefit the BJP. "In most constituencies our votes count up to 3.50 lakhs and if the muslims supproted, no one can stop us from our march to victory. Only the BSP was in a position to stop the BJP," she said.

 

She warned the dalits and other backward castes of the dangers of voting BJP to power. "If they come to power, the constitution will be reviewed and the reservation benefits could go."

 

Scoffing at Amar Singh's antics in the Fatehpur Sikri, Mayawati said "these film stars who enter the electioneering campaigns only foul up the scene and create confusion on policy matters. This man Amar Singh is known to break up parties and wherever he goes he finishes of that party. Ajit Singh himself could lose the elction this time."