BSP Centre, UP was Kanshi Ram's dream: Mayawati

Lucknow, Oct 18: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati today said she would fulfil the wish of party founder Kanshi Ram to capture power at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh for the uplift of Dalits.

'' It is the duty of the Bahujan Samaj to fulfil the wish of Kanshi Ram to capture power at the Centre and UP, with absolute majority'', she said.

Addressing a mammoth gathering during a condolence meeting while placing ashes of the Dalit leader at the Bahujan Samaj Prerna Kendra here, Ms Mayawati said on August 25,2003, when she stepped down from the UP government, Mr Kanshi Ram had wished that BSP should capture power at the Centre and UP with absolute majority, so that no one could ''disturb'' its government.

She also read out the will of Kanshi Ram, in which he had announced Ms Mayawati as his political heir.

Announcing that BSP would not have any alliance with any political party in the coming assembly polls in UP, Punjab and Uttaranchal, she said efforts are being made by the opposition parties to confuse BSP supporters over the alliance issue.

Blaming the opposition parties, particulary the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state, the former UP CM said they are all conspiring to hit the popularity of the BSP.

'' These opposition parties are also creating smaller parties to place hurdles before the BSP'', she said.

Terming UP minister R K Choudhury, a traitor, she alleged him of conniving with the brothers of Kanshi Ram and Mulayam Singh Yadav for giving 'pain' to Kanshi Ram during his last days.

'' It was unfortunate that the family members of Kanshi Ram were demanding postmortem of the body which was prevented by me'', she said adding that the family members should have supported her so that legal battle could have been avoided.'' When Kanshi Ram had decided not to meet his family members including his mother and father then why were they forcing such things'', she said.

Giving reasons for the death of Kanshi Ram, Ms Mayawati said she had spent at least Rs 1 crore on his treatment during the last three years after he had suffered a stroke at Hyderabad on September 15,2003.

'' I had consulted all good doctors for his treatment and due to our efforts he survived for three years when generally after such stroke a patient survived for only six months'', she claimed.

Announcing that his party would not let the name of Kanshi Ram die, she said universities and parks would be named after the Bahujan Samaj founder in several parts of the country without taking any financial help from anyone.

UNI