Mayawati charges opponents with conspiracy

Facing opposition's flak for wearing a huge currency garland at a party rally, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday, accused her political rivals of conspiring to turn the event into a damp squib and announced a phased agitation from March 27 to expose them.

"Party leaders and workers should stage massive demonstrations at district headquarters on March 25 to give a befitting reply to the opposition parties, which left no stone unturned to make BSP's rally a flop show," Mayawati told party leaders, MLAs, MPs and ministers at a meeting in Lucknow.

Charging her political adversaries with hatching several conspiracies to foil the 'historic' rally, she said, "The opposition filed not one, but two PILs in the High Court, owing to which confusion and doubts over organisation of  the rally existed till the end and the party workers became confused. They also stretched this (garland) issue unnecessarily through the media, so that people were misled and did not come to the rally. This issue was also raised inside Parliament," she added.

 The BSP supremo also directed them to launch countrywide campaign from April 14, the birth anniversary of Bhimrao Ambedkar to expose the 'shortcomings' in the Women's Reservation Bill. "From May 22, when the UPA government completes one year, demonstrations would be held at one assembly segment in each district against Women Reservation Bill and price rise due to its wrong economic policies," she said.

Mayawati alleged that when the opposition parties failed in their attempt they adopted different 'gimmick' on March 15. "In a bid to creat stampede, under a conspiracy a beehive near the rally ground was disturbed due to which a swarm of bees came towards the stage," she alleged.

"They (opposition) intended that bees would create fear among the people resulting in a stampede and rally would become a flop. But this did not happen and nature was with us," she added.The BSP supremo said that when the opposition failed again, they raised the issue of garland worth Rs 21 lakh given by the party people and this issue was also raised in Parliament.

Exhorting party's workers and office bearers to give a befitting reply, she directed them to start preparations for holding a day-long demonstration in every district headquarters on March 25 and ensuring participation of maximum number of people.

This demonstration should be historic, in which MLAs, MPs, zonal coordinators and Ministers would participate," Mayawati said, adding that she would herself make an aerial survey of this demonstration and reach any district if needed. Expressing her happiness over the garland said to be worth Rs 18 lakh offered to her today by party workers, she said it would deliver a shock to opposition parties.