Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2017: Mayawati alleges BJP of Dalit discrimination

Elections are always a game of mud-slinging and if it’s Uttar Pradesh, things are bound to get murkier. A day after reports emerged of deposits worth Rs 100 crore in old notes of Rs 1,000 made in Bahujan Samajwadi Party bank account, party chief Mayawati hit back alleging that the Narendra Modi-led BJP Central government is targetting her because of she is a Dalit as well as the ‘master key’ to unlocking the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. [caption id=“attachment_2908968” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A file photo of Mayawati. PTI[/caption] Alleging that the BJP has an anti-Dalit mindset and is being casteist, Mayawati said, “They don’t like that a Dalit daughter is working for the upliftment of the Dalit community,” Mayawati said in a special press conference on Tuesday. Speaking in a third person, she said that the BJP is afraid of Mayawati’s popularity: “Mayawati is the master key to UP Assembly election and the BJP is shaken.” The BSP chief reiterated how the BSP was the first party to oppose demonetisation, and that the BJP is targetting her and the party because it blames her for fuelling opposition parties to rise up against the move. She also clarified on the Rs 100 crore deposited in a BSP account stating that the party has all the records of the deposits made into its accounts after demonetisation, and the the money was deposited as per the rules of the BSP. “All the money has been collected after 21 August. We convert all the donations into notes of higher denominations because it’s easier to transport. All the donations are collected in Delhi for final accounting. It’s deposited in banks only after final accounting in my presence. We were unable to deposit earlier because I was unable to go to Delhi,” she said. On a sarcastic note, the BSP chief thanked the BJP and party president Amit Shah, stating that the tactics of the BJP will her gain full majority in the upcoming election, just like allegations towards her helped win the election in 2007. “BJP is targetting me and senior members of the party along with my friends and relatives for political gains. Shah is maligning my reputation by talking about the ghotalas, and the Taj Corridor. I want to tell you that most parties in power do that. The BJP especially. There’s not a single file on the project that went through me. I have not signed on a single file. They maligned by name between 2003 and 2007, but I got an absolute majority. They are doing it again. And I am sure the BSP will form a government again with an absolute majority. I am grateful to them(!)” Mayawati also challenged the BJP to divulge records of all bank deposits and purchases made by the party before and after 8 November. Taking a jibe at the BJP on demonetisation, the BSP chief said, “I pray to God that they take a couple of more decisions like demonetisation and make it easier for us to form government. I won’t even have to go to the 75 districts for poll campaigning. I will win sitting at home.”