Mayawati sees herself as ''natural CM'' of UP

New Delhi, Oct 16: Firmly ruling out any alliance with the Congress or any other party, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said her party was poised to get absolute majority in the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with herself most possibly as the chief minister.

''I will have to accept the post of chief minister in Uttar Pradesh as people want that,'' said Ms Mayawati talking to newspersons after performing seventh day rituals of party founder Kanshi Ram, who died here on October nine.

She said that 70 per cent of seats for Assembly elections had been finalised and the Upper castes and other sections had been given ''sufficient'' representations.

Asked whether the party would ally with the Congress or any other party before or after the election in case it failed to get enough number of seats, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said there was no question of alliance, as there was no question of the BSP not securing absolute majority to form government on its own.

She said the law and order situation in the state was going from bad to worse, and every class whether farmers, labourers, workers or traders was facing hardship because of the inefficiency and shortsighted policies of the existing government.

''People now want me in power in such a situation and I'll have to respect their sentiments whether weilding power directly or indirectly.''

Ms Mayawati said she had been singlehandedly leading the party after Mr Kanshi Ram retired from active politics due to his failing health and declared her as his political successor at a huge rally in Lucknow on December 15, 2001. She said she would try her best to fulfill the mission of securing political power to dalits which was left incomplete because of the death of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and Mr Kanshi Ram.

''Kaarvan Manzil tak Pahunchega (We will reach our goal),'' she added.

Ms Mayawati said she was happy that after she took full command of the BSP, party's vote base had increased both in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Asked if she would like to form government at the Centre, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that if such a situation arose, she would have to see what kind of parties were extending support to her.

She, however, said that she was at the moment not in a position to make any detailed comment about the politics of the state or the Centre as she had been trying to cope with the loss of Mr Kanshi Ram.

The BSP chief said that as per Mr Kanshi Ram's will, she will take his ashes by a chartered plane to Lucknow on October 18 and keep them at the Bahujan Samaj Prerna Kendra there for lakhs of people to pay their respects to the late leader.

UNI