After Dalit talk, Mayawati sets August launch for 'Sarvjan Hitay'rally

LUCKNOW: Riding on the recent controversy over derogatory remarks against her, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has decided to kick start her UP election campaign ahead of schedule. She will be addressing a series of rallies called

" Sarvjan Hitay, Sarvjan Sukhay" (Everybody’s welfare, everybody’s happiness) from August 21 onwards. The first of her four rallies would be in Agra, a dalit-dominated district, and is expected to set the tone for her campaign.

Mayawati tore into BJP attempts to woo dalits, saying: "The drama PM Narendra Modi has been doing for more than a year to win over dalits is not hidden from anyone. They are renaming monuments after Dr Ambedkar and starting schemes in his name, but these will not help the party. They have been going to dalit homes and sharing meals with them, like the Congress used to do once. But the BJP has been exposed for its anti-dalit mindset through Rohith Vemula and Una (Gujarat) incidents," Mayawati said.

Though the poll campaign of BSP will kick start from August 21, Mayawati called off the proposed stir in all district headquarters on Monday. BSP sources said she was concerned about the less-than-estimated turnout at the BSP agitation that was called in Lucknow last week to protest against Dayashankar. While the protest did make headlines and led to the expulsion of Dayashankar from the BJP, the crowd mobilisation was not of the desired strength. She ticked off leaders for the weak show and is playing safe by calling off the protests.

"Akhilesh Yadav calls me bua (aunt) so he must honour the relation by getting Dayashankar arrested. We announced protests in all districts after government failed to arrest him, but now after realising SP government in nexus with BJP, we have called off the Monday stir and instead would hold rallies throughout the state from August 21 onwards," Mayawati said.