Mayawathi arrives in city to a rousing welcome

Bangalore, Dec 22 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Party leader Mayawathi, looking a major foray into South India, arrived in the city today to a rousing welcome with thousands of her supporters thronging the airport on her arrival.

After the stunning success in UP, the firebrand leader is looking at South India to make major inroads and would test her rising popularity the coming mid-term polls for Karnataka assembly.

Tomorrow she would be addressing a huge rally in the city in which prominent Janata Dal(S) leader and former minister P G R Scindhia would be joining the party.

The 20-km stretch from airport leading to the palace grounds, where the rally is scheduled to be held, has been painted with dark blue with huge cut outs of Mayawathi and BSP founder Kanshi Ram were seen, while buntings and flags were put in most places in the prominent places.

BSP state unit president B Gopal said more than two lakh people were expected to attend tomorrow's 'Sarvajana Samaja Sahodaratva Samavesha'.

"We made our presence felt in the last elections and this time, when the state goes to polls early next year, our performance will be even better. Karnataka will be the our door to success in South India. Mayawathi is being looked at as the emerging national leader and people of Karnataka have big hopes on her," he told UNI