Live: Mayawati says Oppn hates her because she's 'Dalit ki Beti'

[caption id=“attachment_199671” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The rally began two hours late. Naresh Sharma/Firstpost”]  [/caption] Sitapur,UP: 2.11pm: Mayawati concludes her speech and leaves the ground. Massive celebration breaks out, with loud music and dancing. 2.07pm: Mayawati now turns her attention to the Election Commission. She says that the EC’s decision to cover up statues in the state had ‘hurt the people of UP’ and appeals to the people to vote the BSP back into power with a massive margin of victory. “I am confident after seeing the energy of the crowds gathered here”, she says. 2.00pm: After launching a scathing attack on the Congress party, Mayawati sets her sights on the other opposition parties in the state. “If the SP come back to power it will be the return of the goonda raj. If the BJP come to power it will mean communal disharmony”, she warns. 1.56pm: Continuing her attack on the Congress party, Mayawati says that the idea of the Congress party offering employment to the people of Uttar Pradesh was a joke. “Congress is known for not keeping its promises. We talk less and deliver more”, she says. Mayawati also brought up the issue of black money and said the Congress was not doing enough to curb it. 1.48pm: Mayawati alleges that the investigations in to the NRHM ‘scam’ were done with an eye on the upcoming elections in the state. “The speed with which the NHRM case is being investigated in not matched by investigations into 2G and CWG scam”, she says. “The Centre has to take more blame for the NHRM scam than the state, but the CBI is not investigating centre’s role. The opposition cannot stomach the idea of me being in power because I’m Dalit ki Beti”, she says. 1.37pm: Attacking the Congress plan for Muslim reservation at the cost of OBC quotas, Mayawati highlights her government’s reservation policy for Dalits and backward castes. She accuses opposition parties of trying to bring a bad name to her government. 1.30pm: Mayawati promises 24-hour-power supply across Uttar Pradesh. She says that the BSP has already brought down crime rate and ensured communal harmony during the Ayodhya verdict. She asks why the centre is sitting on the state approved plan to divide UP into smaller parts for better governance. 1.25pm: Mayawati alleges that it is the Congress who is responsible for the misfortunes of Uttar Pradesh, adding that they withheld funds to the state even from the centre. “Despite this we provided for the development of Muslims, dalits and upper castes. We’ve bought development to the poor,farmers, and women”, she says. 1.17pm: Mayawati tells the assembled crowds that the BSP has been fighting this entire election alone as they have not allied with any political parties. She adds that special care has been taken to ensure that all candidates fielded by the party have clean backgrounds. She also took on the Congress party saying, “The Congress has failed the people despite being in power for over 40 years. They ruled this state the longest and it was under their rule that unemployment and poverty went on the rise” 1.10pm:  The frenzy of slogan shouting and cheering continues as Mayawati, dressed in a long coat and cream colored salwar surveys the crowd from the stage. She begins addressing the rally. “You have gathered in lakhs here. I welcome your support”, she says. 1.00pm: Mayawati finally enters the inter college ground in Sitapur two hours late. Everyone is up on their feet waving at the chopper. Slogan shouting intensifies as she makes her way to the stage. Police estimate that there are 25000 people at the venue now. 10.45am: Sitapur’s largest ground, the Government inter college ground is dressed up with BSP paraphernalia in readiness for Chief Minister Mayawati’s inaugural campaign rally. Hundreds of blue party flags and giant blue billboards featuring Mayawati are dotting the venue, which according to police can hold 15,000 people. Security is also tight with more than 600 personnel from the villa police, traffic police, PAC and home guards on duty. The state goes to polls on 8 February. Congress scion Rahul Gandhi held his own rally in Sitapur on Tuesday. His rally venue was not too far away from here.