Mayawati arrives in Bangalore to rousing welcome

Bangalore, Dec 22 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati, looking for a major foray for her party in South India, arrived in the city today to a rousing welcome, with thousands of her supporters thronging the airport to receive her.

After the stunning electoral success in Uttar Pradesh, the firebrand leader was looking to make major inroads into South India and would test her rising popularity in the coming mid-term polls for the Karnataka Assembly. Tomorrow, she would address a rally in the city, in which prominent Janata Dal(S) leader and former Minister P G R Sindhia would be joining the party.

The 20-km stretch from the airport leading to the palace grounds, where the rally was scheduled to be held, had been painted dark blue, dotted with huge cut outs of Ms Mayawati and BSP founder Kanshi Ram, besides buntings and party flags.

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 our door to success in South India. Mayawati is being looked at as the emerging national leader and the people of Karnataka have big hopes on her,'' he told UNI