Thaindian News

Lucknow, April 13 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress both are holding rallies in the state’s Ambedkar Nagar town on Bhimrao Ambedkar’s birth anniversary Wednesday.
Though the Congress described its event as “Chetna Rally” (vibrancy rally) to mark the party’s 125th anniversary, party general secretary Rahul Gandhi will also kick off the attempt to rejuvenate the organisation by flagging off ‘yatras’ in 10 different directions from the town named after Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and whom the BSP eulogises as its top icon.

The BSP rally will be held nearby. However, Chief Minister Mayawati has chosen to keep herself away from the event, which will be addressed by her close lieutenant and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma.

Mayawati has also directed her partymen to stage nation-wide demonstrations against the Congress party. Simultaneously, the BSP also proposes to reiterate its opposition to the women’s reservation bill, which Mayawati has already termed “anti-Dalit”.

“Our nation-wide demonstrations are aimed at exposing the Congress lies of championing the cause of Dalits. We will tell the people of this country how the Congress party had always opposed the wellbeing of downtrodden Dalits, who were only exploited as vote banks,” state BSP chief Swami Prasad Maurya said here.

Another close Mayawati lieutenant and multi-portfolio minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui would lead the Lucknow show.

The chief minister would simply address the media after paying floral tributes to Ambedkar at the Rs.1,200 crore memorial dedicated to him here.

Meanwhile heavy security arrangements have been made in Ambedkar Nagar, 150 km from here, to prevent any clash between supporters of the two parties.