BSP to contest all LS seats in Kerala: Mane

Kozhikode, Nov 28: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Kerala will contest all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state during the next general election, Party National General Secretary Suresh Mane said today.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the party had also decided not to align with any principal political formations -- the CPI(M)-led ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) -- or any other groups.

He said as a result of the pro-Dalit and progressive steps intitiated by BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati more people and organisations were attracted to the party.

The recent merger of the Janata Dal(S), headed by former Kerala Minister A Neelalohitadasan Nadar, the Congress (S) and Kerala Cherukida Vyaparai Vyavasai Samyukta Sangam with the BSP yesterday were testimony to the policy adopted by the party, he claimed.

Accusing the LDF government in the State for adopting an 'anti-Dalit' policy, he urged Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan to initiate steps on the line of progressive measures implemented by the BSP government in UP.

Aimed at further strengthening the party ahead of the parliamentary poll, Ms Mayawati would address a state-level 'Brotherhood conference' at Thiruvanthapuram on December 31, he added.

He said Ms Mayawati would also address a public meeting in the state capital and participate in the Platinum Jubilee celebration of Sivagiri Mutt organised by the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalanasangham (SNDP) on that day.

UNI