Mayawati Unanimously Re-Elected BSP President; Vows Never To Bend Or Stop

In a statement released after the meeting, Mayawati reiterated her commitment to the Bahujan movement initiated by B.R. Ambedkar and taken forward by BSP's late founder Kanshi Ram.

Mayawati has been unanimously re-elected BSP President (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati after being unanimously re-elected as party’s national President on Wednesday, vowed never to stop or bend, let alone break. The announcement was made after a special meeting of senior office-bearers of the party's central executive committee, its state units and representatives selected from across the country. In a statement released after the meeting, Mayawati reiterated her commitment to the Bahujan movement initiated by B.R. Ambedkar and taken forward by BSP's late founder Kanshi Ram. On her re-election, the 63-year-old leader expressed gratefulness to all her party workers and followers and assured them of her continued commitment to take forward the BSP movement. She said she would remain ever prepared as usual to pursue the humanitarian missions of sants, gurus and great men, born in the Dalit, Adivasi and other backward classes from time to time. She vowed never to "stop or bend, let alone break" in the interest of the party and the movement. Mayawati said the excellent work of the BSP governments in Uttar Pradesh is an example on the strength of which the BSP can seek people's support in the upcoming elections in various states. Referring to the assembly elections to be held soon in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi, she said the party has to contest all elections with "full strength". "The BSP has to fight these elections against both the ruling BJP and the Congress and has to move forward by first becoming a balancing power," she said. "In addition to this, the BSP has to also show a good result in the assembly by-polls to be held for some seats in Uttar Pradesh," she added. Mayawati later announced candidates for the 12 Assembly seats where by-elections are to be held. The candidate for the Jalalpur seat that was won by the BSP in 2017 has not been declared. Though the party has not officially announced the names of candidates, citing sources news agency IANS said that Qayyum Ansari will be the BSP candidate from the Ghosi seat, Raj Narain Nirala from Manikpur seat, Naushad Ali from Hamirpur, Akhilesh Ambedkar from Zaidpur, Ramesh Gautam from Balha and Sunil Kumar from Tundla. (with inputs from agencies)