Maya re-elected BSP president

LUCKNOW: After having taken the lead in distributing tickets for assembly elections, which saw sizeable allocation to Brahmins, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati reinforced BSP’s links with Dalits, who form the backbone of the party’s votebank.

Addressing cadres, MLAs and MPs here on Sunday she said that the leadership of the party would pass on to a Dalit, whenever she decides to withdraw from active politics. She was speaking immediately after her re-election as president of the BSP for the second consecutive term.

The national meet of the party held on Sunday saw several leaders proposing her name for the post and she was elected unanimously. This is the second term of Mayawati as BSP president. She was first elected as party chief in September 2003. She told party leaders that when the time comes, she would nominate her political successor.

“Kanshi Ram had nominated me as his political successor and so will I when the need arises,” she said. Reaching out to the traditional support base, Mayawati said that her political successor would be a Dalit and would take the party forward.