RSS raking up conversion to divert attention from BJP’s failures: Mayawati

The former chief minister called the meeting to discuss her party’s strategy and preparations for the upcoming urban local body elections. She directed party leaders to expand the party’s support base in “sarv samaj” (all sections) and project the BSP as a meaningful alternative to the ruling-BJP.

Sources in the party said Mayawati also made organisational changes to make ground-level preparations for urban local body elections. So far, the BSP had coordinators at the level of divisional headquarters. “With focus on mayoral elections in municipal corporations, now one coordinator will look after two districts so that better monitoring of organisational activities can be done. Also, the party president has put special focus on municipal corporations of Lucknow, Kanpur, Meerut and Aligarh,” said a BSP leader.

Mayawati directed the functionaries to create awareness among people and caution them about the RSS’s “strategy.” Mayawati also targeted RSS for not opposing the alleged failures of BJP governments. “Ironically, the RSS supports the BJP blindly and with full force in all the elections but it never openly opposes the wrong and anti-people policies of the BJP government. The RSS’s silence on the prevailing situation of the country is unfortunate and also harmful,” Mayawati said.

Mayawati added that governments at the Centre and states have failed to utilise population as an asset due to their “pro-dhannaseth” (supporting rich people) and “anti-poor” policies. “To divert attention from the failure (of BJP governments), it (population) is being termed as a liability and the issue is being given a communal colour,” Mayawati said, according to a release issued by the BSP.

In the 2017 municipal elections, the BSP had won mayor seats in Aligarh and Meerut defeating the ruling-BJP. Significantly, dominance of Muslim population had helped the party in these cities. “Also, some new district presidents have been appointed and senior leaders have been shifted to new areas on Saturday as part of changes in organisation and responsibilities,” said another leader.

“Our party president has emphasised that the BSP will be in poll mode right through 2023, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, and several programmes will be organised to reach out to all the sections of society. Before that, the party organisation has to be prepared for that, right up to the booth level,” said a leader who attended the meeting.

Mayawati also hit out at the BJP government in the state over the law and order situation and asked the party leaders to extend help in a legitimate manner to the victims of the government’s alleged “arbitrary way of working”.

She also asked party workers to celebrate her birthday on January 15 as “Jan Kalyankari Diwas” with simplicity, sincerity and by helping the poor. She also continued the restriction of giving expensive gifts to her and asked them to support the party financially so that expenses of elections can be met.