The Times of India News Service

LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party vice-president Mayawati on Monday demanded special quota for the members of the most other backward castes (MOBCs) from among the quota reserved for the OBCs in Uttar Pradesh.

Mayawati, who demanded the special quota for the MOBCs in the state, when the chief minister had categorically said that the he would reserve quota for these castes in view of the discrimination being faced by them.

Citing instances of her softness to the members of MOBCs the BSP vice- president said that these castes had been facing odds due to extreme poverty and several other reasons.

She said how she had set up a Sahuji Bhawan at Gomti Nagar to impart training to youth from these communities for jobs but the project died when the BJP leaders took over the reins of the state.

Former chief minister came down heavily on the former prime minister V P Singh for his decision to return to politics. Mayawati said:" V P was today courting Mulayam whom he had criticised bitterly in the past only for the sake of gaining some personal favours. Either V P was planning to push forward the case of some member of his family or wants to some political favour from the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh."

Mayawati said when VP did not want to contest the poll what else he would do. She said raking up Mandal issue after a gap of so many years was meant to push the family's political interest. Though the BSP leader did not name VP's son in this context but she made it clear what she meant by family agenda.

Mayawati said the credit for Mandal Commission goes to Dr Ambedkar because he had made provisions in the Constitutions for setting up such commissions.

She criticised Ram Vilas Paswan for his comments on Aligarh and Fatehpur killings and said:" Those were caste killings done at the behest BJP ministers." She said Ram Vilas was dancing to the tune of BJP only to damage BSP in the coming poll. But the BSP, she said, would emerge stronger with these kind of tactics and the likes of Ram Vilas would be exposed at the hustings.

Mayawati once again said that her party would not have a tie up with any political party in Uttar Pradesh and would contest all the 403 seats of Vidhan Sabha of its own. She she was amazed why the BJP had been spreading this kind of rumours to create confusion.