BSP to announce names of candidates soon: Mankotia

Shimla, Oct 16 (UNI) The BSP will announce the names of its candidates for three tribal seats on Thursday and the remaining 65 seats before Diwali, party state convenor Vijai Singh Mankotia said today.

''The party will finalise the names of its candidates for three tribal seats of Kinnuar, Lahaul Spiti and Bharmaur assembly seats, which go to the polls in the first phase on or before October 18 and the remaining 65 seats, which are to be held in the second phase on December 19, before Diwali,'' he said at a press conference.

Mr Mankotia, who has also been named as the chief ministerial candidate of the BSP, said as against a popular perception that the party was not prepared for the polls, it had done its homework and was witnessing a ground swell of support from the masses.

Expressing confidence that the BSP would win over 50 assembly seats, he said the successful replication of ''social engineering'' that brought the party to power in Uttar Pradesh would help it in Himachal Pradesh as well.

He said party supremo Mayawati would be its star campaigner in the polls, which would help in ending the ''jungle, gonda and demon rule'' in the state.

UNI