Chief Minister Mayawati projected the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as the only national alternative that would cater to all sections of the society in a rally at Vadodara’s Polo Ground on Sunday. Mayawati, who arrived an hour and a half late at the rally venue, said though her party needed time to gain ground in the state, it was hopeful of doing well gradually.Riding high on the electoral success in UP, Mayawati said the BSP, in a marked departure from the Congress, BJP and their allies, was not funded by industrialists and capitalists. “We use the hard-earned money of the poor, and that too from each section of the society.” She also said the BSP delivers what it promises. In Gujarat, she wanted to dispel the notion that the BSP is against the upper castes. Talking about the slogan “Tilak Tarazu Aur Talwar, Unko Maro Jute Chaar”, Mayawati said it was not coined by the BSP, but attributed to it by rivals. “We are not anti-upper castes. Otherwise, why would we give tickets to Brahmins?” said Mayawati, while referring to the BSP’s Brahmin face Satish Chandra Mishra.Accusing the Congress and BJP of dividing the people on the basis of caste and religion, Mayawati said the BSP was the only party which worked towards uniting all sections . While rebel BJP leader Nalin Bhatt shared the dais with Mayawati, other leaders from the BJP, Republican Party and the Lok Janshakti and some High Court advocates among others.
