No outsiders,BSP limits nomination to activists

He said,“The formula of social engineering is still intact,as the candidates hail from different social backgrounds. The party is only providing money for some basic campaign material like flags,while the rest of the expenditure will have to be managed by the candidate.”

The BSP is fielding candidates in every constituency and Garud expressed confidence that the party will win all of them.

“During the Lok Sabha election,a few of our candidates in some parts of the state created a bad picture of the party. While the BSP does not believe in buying votes,a few candidates,who did not belong to the party,indulged in activities like distributing money and alcohol and throwing parties. We have learnt a lesson,therefore the party leadership took a decision to give opportunity to party workers this time,” Kiran Alhat,BSP state general secretary said. “Even this time,many people,wanting to contest elections under the BSP flag,offered us money which we squarely refused.”

Alhat,however,pointed out that there were a few exceptions like DSK,whose clean image proved beneficial to the party,even though he could not win the seat.

In the Lok Sabha elections,BSP had contested 47 of the 48 seats and did create a dent in the secular votebank of the Congress and NCP. The BSP had gnawed at Congress votes in the Vidarbha region.

The BSP candidates in Pune include: Santosh Chavan (Shivajinagar),Satish Mohol (Kasba),Raju Sanake (Kothrud),Vijay Jadhav (Parvati),Kailas Ovhal (Cantonment),Vikram Magar (Hadapsar),Hulgesh Chalwadi (Wadgaon Sheri) and Mukesh Shelar (Khadakwasla).

Gearing up for Behenji’s rally

Party workers are now looking forward to the October 4 rally which BSP chief Mayawati will address. “We are busy with preparations for the rally,” Vilas Garud said. The rally will take place at SSPMS Ground.