Accusing the Samajwadi Party (SP) of spreading rumours that she wanted to become the President of India, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday said, “I can dream of becoming the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh or the prime minister but not the President of the country.”
On Wednesday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had said in Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri that the BSP “voted for the BJP but it remains to be seen if the ruling party would make her (Mayawati) the President”.
Addressing a press conference here, she said, “I am committed to fulfilling the dreams and ideals of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram. I am fighting for the empowerment and upliftment of the weaker sections. I can work for the welfare of the deprived community by becoming chief minister or the prime minister but not the President.”
Attacking the Samajwadi Party, the BSP chief said, “Its (SP’s) leaders have spread rumours that I am vying for the President’s post. The SP is dreaming of making me the President so that their party chief’s path to become chief minister of UP is clear. The SP should stop dreaming of making government or making me the President.”
“The SP is responsible for the Bhartiya Janata Party’s victory in the 2022 UP assembly election. The SP got one sided vote of the Muslim and the Yadav communities in the assembly election. The SP also forged pre-poll alliances with various political parties to grab power but it failed in its endeavour,” she said.
“The SP chief has realised that Muslims and members of Other Backward Class (OBC) cannot be misguided. His party will not form the government in UP. He is trying to leave the country and settle in a foreign country,” she further said.
“If the Dalits, Muslims and OBC support the BSP, it will definitely form the government in UP. The members of these communities can make me UP chief minister or the prime minister of the country. They should not be taken for a ride by rival parties but should realise that BSP is their well-wisher. They should unite for the formation of the BSP government next time,” she said.
Flaying the state government for “power cuts during Ramzan”, she said the central and state governments should ensure regular power supply to urban and rural areas alike. Reacting to the BSP chief’s statement, SP’s state unit spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said the people area were aware of the fact that the BSP chief was working on the direction of the BJP leadership. The BSP fielded candidate to divide the opposition votes to ensure the victory of the BJP in the assembly election, he said.
BSP panel meets CM over memorials, parks’ ‘bad condition’
Lucknow
“To draw the attention of the BJP government, I have sent a two-member party delegation comprising party national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra and leader of the BSP legislature party in the legislative assembly Uma Shankar Singh to chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The BSP delegation has handed over my letter to the CM drawing his attention towards the poor condition of memorials and parks,” she said.
“The irresponsible and anti-Dalit officers posted under the SP and the BJP governments neglected the memorials. Earlier, theft of valuable idols installed in the memorials had been committed. Saplings and trees planted on the premises of the memorials have been destroyed. During monsoon, the memorials have been damaged,” she alleged.
“A committee of BSP leaders visited the memorials and parks to study their condition. The committee has submitted its report to me on the basis of which, the BSP leaders I have shot off a letter to the chief minister,” she said.
“Under my government adequate arrangement was made for the maintenance of the memorials. Security personnel were also deployed at the memorials. The memorials became an identity of UP and Lucknow not only in the country but also in the foreign countries. These days the condition of the memorials and parks is pathetic,” she said.
“Earlier I had drawn the attention of the CM in 2021 after some repair work the annual maintenance of the memorials was stopped. Ambedkar memorial has weakened due to seepage during rainy season. The boundary wall of the memorial has been damaged as well,” she said.
“The condition of Ramabai Ambedkar rally ground has also deteriorated. The memorials and parks have been plunged into darkness. Large number of tourists purchase tickets to visit the memorials. After seeing the condition and poor maintenance they are pained,” she said.
“For the maintenance and security of the memorials, 7,265 posts were created under the BSP government. These days, 5,281 employees are working,” she claimed. The service rules of these employees should be at par with the state government employees. They should get benefits of the new pension scheme, their retirement age should be 60 years and they should be given promotion and other service benefits, Mayawati demanded.
HTC
