Re-emergence of BSP in UP unlikely to have impact on Rajasthan

Jaipur, May 11 (UNI) The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in Rajasthan today did not forsee any impact of re-emergence of the BSP in Uttar Pradesh on the state politics.

However, the BJP opted to take precaution to avert any political threat in the next assembly elections.

''The new social combination of Muslim-Dalit-Brahmin propounded by BSP Chief Mayawati has succeeded in the UP assembly elections but the same is unlikely to have any bearing in the next assembly elections in Rajasthan as our party and government has already taken up a number of programmes to attract Dalits and keep intact our traditional votes,'' Mr K N Bhatt, BJP state unit spokesman said.

He said it was true that the election results in Uttar Pradesh were not as per the expectations of the party but the same were more damaging for the Congress which had now lost further ground and relevance in the national politics.

Mr Bhatt said despite campaigning by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her children in UP, the party could do nothing at the hustings.

Ruling out any influence of developments of UP on the state, Congress state unit President B D Kalla said the Congress would continue to enjoy the support of its traditional Dalit, Muslim and upper caste votes.

Refuting the BJP's statement over his party's performance in the UP assembly polls, he said the party could not increase its tally in the new House but it had succeeded in increasing its vote share considerably.

The Congress state chief said instead it was the BJP which suffered humiliating debacle at the hustings and was reduced to a minor player in UP.

Mr Kalla said the ground work done by the party leadership, including the Gandhi family, in the election had brightened the party's prospects for the next elections and in this way these elections would prove to be a milestone for the Congress.

UNI