BSP opts out of local bodies polls over fears of dissident

Lucknow, Oct 7 (UNI) The opposition Bahujan Samaj Party today formally announced its plans against contesting the urban local bodies elections in Uttar Pradesh on its party symbol, claiming any dissidence over ticket distribution could effect its performance in the coming assembly elections.

BSP national president and former chief minister Mayawati said as part of strategy, the party has decided not to use its official symbol. ''Party workers would contest elections on all seats, but on free symbols...places where only one BSP worker is contesting, we would provide him with all support. But on seats where more than one BSP worker is contesting, the party would not seek votes for them,'' she told a press conference here.

Ms Mayawati claimed that since the urban local bodies polls were happening just a few months before the assembly elections, any dissidence over ticket distribution could have created problems for the party in the 'bigger arena'.

''The last urban local bodies elections were held in October-November, 2000. We had contested the polls on party symbol and those who had fought against official candidates as independents were removed from the party. But then we had over a year's time to undo the damage of dissidence...now we do not have the time,'' she asserted.

She said since the local bodies polls this time were delayed by a year, BSP decided against contesting.

To a poser, she criticised Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav for distributing unemployment allowance cheques even as model code of conduct was in force. ''This is a clear violation,'' she claimed.

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