Mayawati draws a blank in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Dec 23 (UNI) The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has once again drawn a blank in the Gujarat Assembly elections for the fifth time.

Ms Mayawati's aspirations to upset the electoral fortunes of both the BJP and the Congress in Gujarat had been shattered with her 166 candidates losing deposits as in earlier elections.

In the earlier Gujarat Assembly elections, the BSP had performed ''very poorly'' in 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002 and 2004.

Fighting elections on ''respect for all castes and religions'' plank, Ms Mayawati clearly tried to shed the tag that only Dalits and minority communities supported her party.

UNI