Maya plans ‘maha’ rally to unspool videotape claims

The CM’s decision came when the Congress was observing Kalank Diwas in the state, in protest against the ‘‘wasteful expenditure’’ on her birthday and the commission issue, and the SP was preparing for the party’s national conference at Agra tomorrow to decide the future course of action against the state government.

Alleging that both the SP and Congress had jointly hatched a conspiracy to tarnish her government and party’s image, Mayawati said its consequences would force the Congress to repent later. ‘‘People will not forgive the party for hobnobbing with the SP,’’ she added.

The CM said: ‘‘The Congress has always been against the oppressed, downtrodden, Bahujans, leaders who followed Ambedkar and pursued the Dalit agenda. The party was also behind Ambedkar’s defeat in the 1952 polls.’’

Dubbing the CD and video footage as ‘‘forged, doctored and edited’’, Mayawati questioned the timing of their release. She said: ‘‘The cassette was made in February 2001. It could have been used by the SP for political gains during the February 2002 Assembly polls in when I was sworn in as the CM or during the recent Assembly by-elections.’’ Releasing the agenda of the rally, she clarified that the rally would be exclusively for her party.