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BJP defeat is BSP's focus

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 15. Making it absolutely clear that its main aim was to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Assembly polls, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today gave a clarion call to its party workers and followers to defeat the BJP in the 30 Assembly constituencies where it has not put up its candidates. The BSP directed its cadres to vote in these constituencies for the candidate who is in a position to defeat the BJP candidate.

Terming the BJP as "enemy number one'', the Delhi BSP chief, Dharmveer Singh Ashok, alleged that the BJP-led Government at the Centre was misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against its party chief, Mayawati.

"During this election, we have put up candidates very strategically. It is being ensured that the BJP is defeated handsomely and is in no position to return to power,'' Mr. Ashok said at a Press conference here. The BSP has fielded its candidates in 40 of the 70 Assembly constituencies in the Capital.

"This time we are determined to raise our vote share from 3.63 per cent in 1998 Assembly polls to at least 20 per cent. We will surprise every one and would be in a position to decide who would form the Government in Delhi after the elections,'' Mr. Ashok claimed. In the 2002 municipal polls, the BSP had bagged over 6 per cent of the votes polled, he said.

Replying to queries, he denied having entered into any understanding with any political party in the Capital. "Our fight is against both the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP,'' he said.

Alleging that both the Congress and the BJP had misled the people on the issue of development, Mr. Ashok said: "Development is not our priority. Our first priority would be restoration of self-pride of the Bahujan Samaj, which has been suppressed for the past several centuries.''

Mr. Ashok denied the claims of the Indian Justice Party chief Udit Raj that several BSP candidates had deserted the party and joined his party. "He is giving misleading information. No one has left the BSP and it is all a farce being created by Mr. Udit Raj,'' he said and presented before mediapersons four leaders who Mr. Raj had claimed had joined the Indian Justice Party.

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