The Hindu : National : BSP to contest all seats in Gujarat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 05, 2007
ePaper

National

National

BSP to contest all seats in Gujarat

Special Correspondent

Wants to try the Uttar Pradesh formula

Mayawati

NEW DELHI: The Bahujan Samaj Party will contest all 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat to offer a “third alternative” in the State.

Like in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP wants to woo Brahmins to add to its Dalit voter support base. A BSP leader here said the party wanted to try out this formula in Gujarat too — its slogan would be “universal brotherhood” transcending the caste barrier.

Speaking to The Hindu, Gandhi Azad, the leader in-charge of the party’s campaign in Gujarat, said the BSP was confident of being the front runner as the people of the State were tired of the “divide and rule” policy of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress.

They were looking for an alternative that offered social harmony and development on all fronts and for every one.

The party, he said, would contest all the seats and adopt the same strategy in ticket distribution as done in Uttar Pradesh.

The candidates would be a mix of upper castes, dalits, backwards and minorities. Each community would get its share of ticket in accordance with the level of its preparedness in facing the election, he said.

Rejecting a suggestion that the presence of BSP in the fray could benefit the BJP, he said that on the contrary, it would benefit people. Both Congress and BJP were playing the politics of divide and rule for the past 60 years and only the rich had benefited. The poor remained where they were.

“Adivasis continue to suffer from suppression and oppression. Conservancy workers continue to carry night soil on their hand. We want to change all that. We want to take power to the doorsteps of people”.

The message of Uttar Pradesh, he said, had reached every nook and corner of the country and Gujarat was no exception.

Last Gujarat polls

Asked about the last Assembly elections in Gujarat, when BSP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati had campaigned for the BJP, Mr. Azad said the situation was different.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National