By IANS
Lucknow : Signalling her move into campaign mode for the next Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Saturday exhorted Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers to ensure the party won power at the central level.
“You cannot take Uttar Pradesh out of its backwardness until you establish BSP rule in New Delhi,” she said amidst cheers from nearly 10,000 party delegates who had gathered here from each of the state’s 403 assembly constituencies to participate in the celebrations to mark the 74th birth anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram.
Reiterating her support for trifurcation of the state, Mayawati told her audience that she had once again written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking creation of an independent Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh), a western Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand, “to ensure comprehensive development of every part of an oversized Uttar Pradesh”.
“Let me tell you that under the constitution, only the centre (central government) is empowered to carve out a new state”.
The city was virtually painted in the BSP blue with hundreds of hoardings, cut-outs, posters, banners and welcome arches draped in blue and white literally enveloping the entire skyline.
The day’s celebrations began with a mini marathon in which thousands of youth participated, followed by the inauguration of BSP’s new state headquarters on a sprawling two-acre plot in Mall Avenue, the state capital’s most prime area.
Apart from its grandeur, which is typical of all Mayawati-initiated buildings, the party office has a gigantic hall that can accommodate 10,000 people.
Later in the day, she gave away a series of awards instituted in the name of Kanshi Ram, who was also her political mentor.
Apart from honouring three members of the under-19 Indian Cricket team who are from the state, she also honoured four artists from different disciplines.
Mayawati also launched a number of schemes and projects named after Kanshi Ram.
Work on the Rs.2.5 billion Kanshi Ram Memorial, the Rs.3 billion Kanshi Ram multi-speciality hospital and a Kanshi Ram Memorial Medical College, a children’s hospital, and a state of art convention centre has already commenced.
At least 74 new bridges constructed in different parts of the state were formally opened to the public Saturday.
In addition, Mayawati also launched several drinking water schemes named after Kanshi Ram and laid the foundation stone of Kanshi Ram Tourism Management Institute and a Kanshi Ram Environment Centre.