LUCKNOW Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday defended her party’s acceptance of donations from ticket aspirants, dismissing the recent ‘cash for ticket’ allegations as a smear campaign by rival political parties ahead of UP Assembly elections.
Clarifying her party’s stand on an alleged sting operation in which BSP office-bearers demanded money for tickets as well as for the meeting with the party chief, Mayawati said in a post on X that unlike other parties, BSP does not rely on the support or diktats of big capitalists and wealthy individuals; instead, the party operates on the support and money of its own people.
Whatever financial support the BSP receives is legally spent on ensuring the victory of the party candidate and the election campaign, which is not hidden from anyone, she said.
“The BSP is a true and honest Ambedkarite party, championing the cause of ‘Sarvajana Hitay and Sarvajana Sukhay’ (welfare of all) for the poor, exploited, oppressed and neglected members of the ‘Bahujan Samaj’ and upper castes in the country; it is fighting for their constitutional rights and justice by following the path shown by Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar,” she said.
“The working and support of the BSP among the masses displeases narrow-minded, casteist, communal and capitalist forces. That is why, from time to time, and especially as elections approach, they resort to various tactics to defame the BSP, its movement, as well as its Iron Lady leadership,” she added.
A section of the media keeps raising questions over the selection of the BSP candidate to divert people’s attention from the election tactics of other parties and to cover their unethical works, Mayawati alleged.
The BSP chief said it does not suit the media to spread various kinds of misleading false things and rumours as part of a conspiracy. It is also well known that BSP state unit president Vishwanath Pal and other party leaders are engaged in strengthening the party organisation and expanding its support base across society, she said.
Party leaders are also preparing a list of potential candidates for the UP Assembly elections and thoroughly screening ticket aspirants. Like a cross-examination in court, candidates are asked various questions to assess, among other things, their social, political and economic status, as well as their loyalty and sustainability to the party. It is inappropriate to take these questions at face value without delving into the details, she added.
Mayawati appealed to party members that they should not fall prey to conspiracies sponsored by opposition parties, and instead, should remain wholeheartedly focused on their Mission 2027.
A BSP leader said the party takes donations from ticket aspirants during assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections for the poll campaign. Party leaders, office-bearers and workers also donate money to the party coffers during the birthday of party chief Mayawati, celebrated on January 15 each year. The money bag is handed over to the party chief as a gift from workers during the birthday celebration. Earlier too, the party chief had cleared her stand on the donations collected from ticket aspirants during elections, he added.
UP Congress Committee president Ajay Rai said Mayawati should take action against the BSP state unit president, but instead, she is defending the expose.
When contacted, BJP and SP leaders refused to comment on the issue.
