In a smart political move, BSP president Mayawati announced on Sunday that her party would not contest the forthcoming elections of local bodies since she feared that BSP candidates and workers would be targeted by the Samajwadi Party workers.
Addressing a meeting of newly-elected MLAs and party office-bearers here on Sunday, she said that she could not risk the life and property of BSP workers by contesting the local bodies’ elections which are held under the direct supervision of the state election machinery and the state police.
“These elections are influenced by the state government and cannot be expected to be held in a free and fair manner and large-scale violence cannot be ruled out. I cannot risk the safety of my party workers for the sake of an election,” she said.
She further ruled out the participation of the BSP in any election that is not held under the direct supervision of the Election Commission and Central forces. She further warned that if any party leader or office-bearer participates in these elections then he would be immediately suspended from the party.
Ms Mayawati pointed out that her apprehensions of goonda raj returning to the state had proved true and even before the Samajwadi Party government could be sworn in, incidents of violence had escalated.
She further explained that there was a difference of merely 24.5 lakh votes between the SP and BSP and SP had got a majority in the Assembly. “Now the SP is claiming that the mandate was in their favour and they believe that this is the mandate to establish goonda raj in UP again,” she said and added that it was a matter of concern that BSP workers were being targeted across the state.
The BSP, interestingly, has always shied away form civic elections because it knows that it lacks a proper base in the urban areas.
However, this time, the BSP has given its decision a political slant by blaming it on the Samajwadi rule. The civic polls, incidentally are scheduled to be held before May.