Mayawati calls for a political change in Maharashtra like UP

Mumbai, Nov 25 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati today gave a clarion call to the people of Maharashtra to come together and bring about a political change in the state on the lines of Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a mammoth rally at Shivaji Park--her first public meeting here after taking over the reins of the largest state in the country for the fourth time--Mayawati said BSP has its base of Dalits but it is taking measures to bring all the castes together including the upper castes and the religious minorities.

She said while Congress and its allies are dividing society on the basis of caste, parties like Shiv Sena and BJP are dividing the society on the basis of religion.

Mayawati was very critical of both the Congress and the BJP for their negligence of the weaker sections. She alleged that both the parties had ruled for the last 60 years with the help of rich people and had adopted the economic policies which were benefitting them and not the common man.

Mayawati, who became Chief Minister on three occasions with the help of BJP, was critical of the party.

In her speech, she raised the issue of reservation in the private sector not only for SC, ST and OBCs but also for religious minorities and economically backward sections of upper castes.

''I had raised this issue with the BJP led NDA and Congress led UPA Governments, but no one took any initiative. It is the central government which should take initiative to amend the Constitution for providing reservations in the private sector since rapid privatisation of government undertakings will end up reservations,'' she said and added that BSP would provide the same when it would come to power.

Admitting that BSP has its base among dalits, she said that the UP elections have shown that the representatives of other castes and religious minorities are also getting proper representation in the party.

Mayawati alleged that with the growing influence of BSP, the Congress tried to bring a Dalit Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde, in Maharashtra four years ago and it may play the same tactics again to win the Dalit votes.

She urged the BSP supporters not to get carried away by such tactics.

BSP leaders described Mayawati as the future prime minister and party's national general secretary and minister Satishchandra Mishra gave a call to all the Dalits to unite under Mayawati's leadership.

UNI