Mayawati writes to PM, demands reservation for upper castes

LUCKNOW:In an apparent bid to woo upper caste voters ahead of the next year's Uttar Pradesh polls, Chief Minister Mayawati has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to introduce reservation for poor people from the community.

Mayawati, in a letter to the PM yesterday, suggested him to put the reservation policy in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution so that it cannot be challenged in any court.

Pressing for reservation, she said it was necessary to help those living below poverty line, irrespective of their caste and class so that they can join mainstream.

Demanding that backlog vacancies for reserved category should be filled without any delay, Mayawati said reservation policy should also be implemented in private sector and other government or semi-government services.

Mayawati had written a similar letter to the PM on September 17 asking for constitutional amendment to provide reservation for Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions.

The opposition parties, including BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party, had criticised her for trying to appease Muslims for political gains.