Maya to launch 'counter attack'

Mayawati has convened a meeting of the BSP workers and office-bearers here on Thursday and has significantly chosen the area adjacent to the Kanshiram Memorial, where the Lucknow district jail once existed before being demolished. More significantly the meeting comes just a day before the all important hearing in the Supreme Court on construction of memorials and parks in Lucknow with public money.

According to senior BSP leaders, the party supremo was likely to be at her “fiery best” and blame her detractors for hatching a “conspiracy” to “malign” her government’s image.

Mayawati has been alleging that the opposition parties had been raking up the issue of construction of parks and memorials after dalit icons only to tarnish the BSP government’s image among the people, especially the dalits, its core vote bank.

“The chief minister will seek to portray those opposed to the statues, parks and memorials after dalit icons as having anti-dalit mindset,” said a senior state BSP leader.
He said  Mayawati would also assure the party workers that her government would “continue” with its “aggressive dalit agenda” and would not succumb to pressure from any quarter. The meeting is being seen in the political circles here as an attempt by the BSP supremo to drive home the message to the dalits that the government would make no compromise on the issues concerning “dalit pride”.

The importance of the meeting could be gauged from the fact that it was convened at a very short notice.

“Though barely a couple of days notice was given to the workers, we still expect a huge gathering,” claimed another BSP leader.

“A bus load of workers from each of the 403 Assembly constituencies will arrive at the meeting,” the leaders said adding that Mayawati is likely to announce a massive rally of party supporters at a later date.