Mayawati wants to be PM after next Lok Sabha polls

Nagpur: Making clear her prime ministerial aspirations, BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday asked party workers to ensure a big victory for BSP in the next general elections and warned them against becoming a "saleable commodity".

Addressing a rally of party workers here, the former UP Chief Minister asked her party workers to ensure a big victory for BSP in the next general elections so that she can "deliver Independence Day speech as Prime Minister from the Red Fort". Mayawati cautioned her party cadre to remain alert against forces that might "try to corrupt them" during the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. "Don`t become a saleable commodity," she warned. She accused Congress and BJP of conspiring to stall the bill on quota in promotion for SCs/STs in government jobs and promised that if her party comes to power at the Centre, it would ensure that it is implemented. Congress-led UPA government could also have filed a review petition in the Supreme Court, which had quashed UP government`s decision on reservation in promotions for SC/STs, but it did not, Mayawati alleged while addressing a state-level rally of party workers here. Congress could have also asked a competent legal counsel to defend the case of continuing the reservation quota in promotions, but it did not do so, she said. Both Congress and the BJP conspired to deny the rights to lakhs of government employees, she alleged and asked the cadre to remain equidistant from both the parties. BSP had to take the fight to streets and finally to Parliament, she said, adding "though we have succeeded partially as the Rajya Sabha has passed the Amendment Bill, but it is still pending in the Lok Sabha." She also demanded stringent punishment to those involved in the VVIP helicopter scam. Opposing the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail, Mayawati said the UPA government should adopt developmental policies which would benefit the general public. She also criticised the direct cash transfer in subsidy schemes saying it would not help the poor. She also supported creation of Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh and favoured statehood to Vidarbha. The former UP Chief Minister asked her party workers to ensure a big victory for BSP in the next general elections and make her deliver her Independence Day speech as Prime Minister from the Red Fort. Mayawati said if her party comes to power at the Centre, it would provide reservation in promotions to SC/ST government employees. Opposing the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail, Mayawati said the UPA government should adopt developmental policies which would benefit the general public. She also criticised the direct cash transfer in subsidy schemes saying it would not help the poor. She also demanded stringent punishment to the persons involved in the VVIP helicopter scam. Mayawati called her party cadre to remain alert against forces that might try to corrupt them during the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. "Don`t become a saleable commodity," she warned. Alleging that the central government was reluctant to release the full Indu Mills land in Mumbai for Dr BR Ambedkar`s memorial, she said if BSP comes to power (at the Centre), the required 100 acres of land would be parted with. Suitable museums and memorials of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr Ambedkar would be constructed in Maharashtra, she promised. She also said they will construct a memorial of late BSP supremo Kanshiram in Punjab. She also supported creation of Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh and favoured statehood to Vidarbha. Party stalwarts Satish Mishra and state president Vilas Garud also spoke on the occasion. PTI