We'll repeat UP experiment in Maharashtra, says Mayawati

In an attempt to duplicate the social engineering experiment of her home state, BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Mayawati said, "We will have to follow the Uttar Pradesh pattern in Maharashtra to bring social brotherhood."

Making it amply clear Maharashtra was high on her political agenda, Mayawati said, "If we have to come to power at the Centre, we will have to come to power in Maharashtra and also bag the maximum number of Lok Sabha seats from the state."

Political observers feel Mayawati's rally on Sunday at Mumbai's historic Shivaji Park received a quite a huge response. It was one of the biggest rallies in the last six years, even bigger than last year's Congress President Sonia Gandhi's, and Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray's rally more than two years back when he broke away from the Shiv Sena, political observers said.

Calling Congress the original Manuwadi party, Mayawati showed her contempt for the leadership of the Republican Party of India (RPI), founded by Babasheb Ambedkar and which splintered in dozen-odd groups, by not even mentioning the party in her hour-long speech.

Though BSP is trying to reach out to the Brahmin and the OBC communities in Maharashtra, the large crowd which had gathered to see Mayawati mostly consisted of Dalits from Mumbai's slums, and remote villages in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions, which have a sizeable presence of Dalits among its populace.

The responsive and enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Shivaji Park was more interested in having a glimpse of Mayawati than what she had to say.

One Buddhabhushan Kumbhare from Vashim, Vidarbha, which is located more than 500 kilometers away from Mumbai, said, "Our RPI leaders from Maharashtra always remained satisfied with a ministership offered by the parties. They never tried to become rulers themselves but Mayawati is an exception to this "" a lone dalit women beating all the odds, have become the chief minister of a state like Uttar Pradesh. And now every one wants to have an alliance with her and not the other way round."

Promising to extend reservations to the private sector, Mayawati said, "In the name of liberlisation and privatisation, jobs in the government sector are shrinking every day which is a conspiracy of both the Congress and the BJP. If we come to power in Maharashtra, we will introduce reservations in the private sector on the lines of Uttar Pradesh as well."

However, she didn't forget to promise 10 per cent reservations to those below the poverty line but belonging to upper casts and minorities both in the government and the private sector jobs.

In an attempt to woo the higher casts Mayawati disowned the 'famous' slogan of the BSP, "tilak, taraju aur talwar ko jute maro charr," and said, "This was part of the false propaganda of parties like the Congress and the BJP who want to divide the society in various sections like higher casts, OBCs, schedule casts and minorities."

In fact, we believe no social sector reform can be achieved without the cooperation of the higher casts, she added.

She asked Dalits, minorities and OBCs to be wary of Congress's moves as fearing growing clout of BSP in the state, Congress brought dalit leader like Sushilkumar Shinde as a chief minister on the eve of elections but dumped him once elections were over. Congress might indulge in similar tactics this time around, she warned.

She also promised better houses dalits, minorities and other weaker sections of society who are living in Mumbai's slums and improve conditions of farmers and farm laborers if BSP comes to power.

Maywati assured to protect the interest of North Indians living in the cities of Maharashtra like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur etc. who have migrated in search of job, while treating sons of soil with respect.

A Senior BJP leader from state who observed Mayawati's rally from nearby high-rise building said, "today's rally is even an eye opener for our leadership, who still think that, Mayawati will eat in to dalit and minority votebase of Congress which will help BJP-Shiv Sena. But by softening stand towards upper casts, she has ensured, if not across the state, in some pockets at least, she will be in position to make in roads in our vote bank too."