LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Kanshi Ram has reaffirmed his commitment to the alliance between his party and the ‘Samajwadi Party (SP) of Mulayam Singh Yadav and has ruled out an understanding with any other party in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing a massive BSP rally at Begum Hazrat Mahal Park here, Kanshi Ram declared: “We have to ensure that Mulayam Singh Yadav is elected the next Chief Minister.
The BSP chief explained that he had declined to hold a joint rally with Mulayam Singh Yadav because he felt that the two needed to “demonstrate our strengths individually.”
The mammoth crowd spread to nearly two km radius of the venue and the roads and lanes leading to the part were filled with BSP activists and supporters.
“We have proved that the BSP’s palms are overflowing with votes,” said Kanshi Ram, adding that, “had we held a joint rally, the Lucknow Kanpur road would have been lined with loud speakers.”
On the forthcoming polls, Kanshi Ram said the main fight will be between the BJP and the SPBSP alliance while Janata Dal and Congress will contest for third and fourth places.
However, with all speakers at the only targeting Y.P.Singh, it was clear that despite its claims, the BSPSP’s chief adversary will be the Janata Dal with which the combine shares a common vote base.
“When V.P.Singh contested the 1988 by elections in Allahabad, his main polling agent was Dr.Murli Manohar Joshi. T should know because I was also in the fray, The ABVP activists used to carry him around on their shoulders. He is so closely linked to the Sangh Parivar,” alleged Kanshi Ram.
Addressing the Muslims he said” V.P.Singh goes round posing as the only man who tried to protect the Babri Masjid. But Y.P.Singh has been instrumental in making the BJP powerful. He had, after all, entered into a pact with the BJP during the 1989 elections.”
“It is inconsequential whether borders of the Muslim league, the Babri Masjid Action Committee and Imam Bukhari support V.P.Singh. Muslims are not concerned with these leaders, neither are we; we are here to fight for the rights of the Muslim masses.”
Article extracted from this publication >> October 15, 1993
