http://www.indianexpress.com/story/228470.html
BSP applies UP formula to Maharashtra Rakshit Sonawane Posted online: Monday, October 15, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST MUMBAI, OCTOBER 14 With an aim to replicate Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's sarvajan formula of Uttar Pradesh in Maharashtra, the party is planning a rally at Shivaji Park here and a Brahmin conclave in Pune. "In order to show our strength, we are organising a rally at Shivaji Park, tentatively after the Diwali festival. The date is yet to be finalised, but it will be a massive rally and behenji (Mayawati) herself will address it," a senior BSP leader said. He said the BSP had already initiated a series of meetings of the Brahmin community across Maharashtra. "Over the past few months, there have been meetings of Brahmin sanghs in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik and Ratnagiri. At all these places, Brahmin sanghs have congratulated behenji and resolved to support her as she is the only political leader willing to share power with them," he said. An international conclave of Brahmins will be organised sometime in December this year in Pune, and the highlight of the meeting will be the participation of Brahmin intellectuals and industrialists, he said. The conference is expected to pass a resolution in support of Mayawati for recognising the Brahmins as a political force and giving them their share of power. "There are many Lok Sabha seats where Brahmin votes can play a pivotal role, like Pune, Nashik, Thane, Ratnagiri and Nagpur. They are in favour of supporting the BSP as they want to help the party which will help them politically. At present, there is not a single party other than the BSP which does it," he added. The BSP has been eyeing Maharashtra since Mayawati became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh about five months back. The party had sent a hundred vijay raths (victory chariots) in Dalit localities across Maharashtra. Subsequently, in September, the BSP launched its shasak bano (become administrators) campaign among its cadres to encourage Dalits and OBCs to join civil services. "We are in the process of appointing about 1,000 pracharaks in each district of Maharashtra. They will be responsible for creating awareness among people that the BSP and behenji are the only solution to their problems," the leader said. Meanwhile, the BSP has already roped in Mahant Sudhirdas Pujari, the 27th descendant of priests performing rituals at the Kalaram Temple built by the Peshwas 213 years ago, to coordinate with the Brahmins. It is the same temple where, in 1930, Babasaheb Ambedkar had performed satyagraha demanding temple entry for Dalits.
