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Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj
Party (BSP) president Mayawati is keeping both the Congress and
the Samajwadi Party (SP) guessing whether she will, at the BSP
rally here Tuesday, withdraw support to the UPA government at the
centre.
The rally at the Ramabai ground will be watched keenly both by the
Congress and the SP in the state as the Congress shares tentative
relations with both the BSP and the SP.
The Maha Dalit rally on BSP founder Kanshi Ram's death anniversary
has been called to "ponder, deliberate and announce" the BSP's
stand on issues like allowing the FDI in multi-brand retail and
the diesel price hike.
Sources in the BSP told IANS that the former chief minister is
likely to come down heavily on the Congress-led alliance on a slew
of economic reforms the Manmohan Singh government recently
unveiled.
A BSP leader said that Mayawati may be preparing to pull back her
outside support to the UPA government at the centre.
BSP leaders told IANS that while the Akhilesh Yadav government is
"getting unpopular by every passing day", the anti-incumbency
factor which the BSP would like to see against the SP might not
have set in as yet.
"Behenji (Mayawati) is very clear on one issue. She is against the
hike in fuel prices, LPG subsidy being slashed and FDI in retail,
but she is not in a hurry to precipitate a snap poll," a BSP
leader said.
The rally is also aimed at feeling the pulse of the Dalit
constituency, which deserted her in the state assembly polls, and
to show her rivals that she is not a spent force.
"Every BSP legislator has been asked to bring in as many workers
and people as they can. Makeshift hospitals have been made,
activists are manning special welcome booths and helplines to
guide rallyists who have begun trooping into the state capital," a
BSP leader said.
More than 8,000 party workers have already arrived from
Maharashtra and party cadres from other states are trickling in.
Mayawati is also likely to take on the Akhilesh Yadav government,
especially after the SP government revoked the Oct 9 public
holiday in the state on Kanshi Ram's death anniversary.
Party insiders say that Mayawati would be focussing on national
issues too. "Behenji has her eyes on the Delhi throne," said a BSP
leader.
"The Akhilesh government is sinking, people have seen their real
face. All eyes are now focused on national politics and major
announcements would be made on issues that have hurt the middle
class and the poor," an expert on the BSP affairs told IANS on the
condition of anonymity.
He added: "While supporting the Congress at the centre is an issue
she might have to live with, many don't rule out Mayawati
withdrawing support to the central government in the future. She
might take up the cause of the 'aam aadmi' (common man) than risk
her political fortunes by siding with a government which seems on
its way out."
BSP sources confirm that Mayawati had been approached by the
Congress on a number of occasions. "There are many offers before
us but we will take a decision in conformity with our objectives
and policies," said a BSP leader.
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