THE TIMES OF INDIA NEWS SERVICE

LUCKNOW: Getting into the election mode, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) vice-president, Mayawati, gave a clarion call to her party cadre to ensure that BSP formed the next government in Uttar Pradesh.

Kick-starting the first phase of her statewide agitation to dislodge the BJP government, Mayawati slammed chief minister Rajnath Singh for his double-speak and `sudden concern' for the MBCs and the extreme dalits. She stressed, reservation for these classes should be on the basis of their population.

Addressing a dharna at district collectorate here on Friday, she said the 11 issues raised by her would constitute BSP's election manifesto. She launched a vitriolic attack on the chief minister and dubbed him as a `ghosna mantri' and a `natak mantri', who, in sheer desperation was resorting to all kind of tactics to woo the electorate.

The quota-within-quota policy also fell in this genre, she felt. The BSP vice-president questioned the sudden need of the BJP for raising the issue when elections were due and added it was indicative enough that the measure was nothing but a political stunt.

She said she was not opposed to reservation for this section but wanted it to be on the basis of population. She said dalits comprised 26 per cent of the population, of which the extreme dalits were 6 per cent. Likewise, of the 52 per cent backward classes, the MBCs constituted 35 per cent. The reservation quota allotted to them should be on the basis of their numerical strength. She said, during her tenure as chief minister she had advocated a better deal for the MBCs and dalits but the BJP, an ally in the then government, had opposed it on grounds that the upper section would alienate itself from the party. Mayawati said since the BJP had its government at the Centre also it should amend the Constitution and provide for reservation for this section in Rajya Sabha, the legislative Council and the judiciary.

Union communication minister Ram Vilas Paswan was also the target of the BSP leader. Declaring Paswan a BJP agent, she said, he was equally interested in subverting the interest and well being of dalits and backwards.

Flaying the state government for `dilly-dallying' over the issuance of a fresh notification in the Ayodhya accused case, she said that the BJP had taken the law in its hand with the intention of spreading communalism.

Giving ample indications of broad-basing her party, Mayawati said she was not averse to welcoming people from the upper castes provided they adhered to the BSP's ideals and policies.

And to buttress the point she added that party tickets would be given to them in addition to their being made ministers when the party came to power in the impending elections.

She also highlighted BJP's misrule, the recent killings of dalits in Aligarh, Fatehpur, the plight of farmers and the dismal law and order situation.