BSP has got its latest jolt when two prominent political leaders from Gonda quit the Party and joined the Samajwadi Party. The leaders are Anand Singh and his son Kirtivardhan Singh who belong to the former royal family of Mankapur. Kirtivardhan and his father were in SP initially and left SP to join BSP on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls in 2009.Now with assembly elections approaching, the quitting of these two prominent leaders from BSP and joining SP, has brought a setback to the BSP’s campaigning and it is having its impact on the remaining legislators.

Like all others who had left BSP earlier, this father and son duo claimed that they left the BSP because they were feeling suffocated at the environment within the BSP leadership. There was no internal democracy in the BSP and it was increasingly difficult for the duo to serve their respective constituencies. Earlier four sitting legislators of BSP left the party and joined the SP and they have all been assured party tickets in the coming assembly elections.

It would be worth mentioning here that Anand Singh as Congress candidate had won Ganda Lok Sabha polls four times from 1971 to 1991. His son Kirtivardhan Singh had won Godna in 1998 and 2004 on SP ticket. He contested Lok Sabha polls as BSP candidate in 2009 and lost to Beni Prasad Verma

It would be worth mentioning here like many other leaders, Kirtivardhan and his father had left SP because of Amar Singh who was dominating in the party Now that Amar Singh is not in the party, several prominent leaders including MLAs and formers MPs have returned to party fold recently

There are indications that there are many more leaders in BSP who would quit the party in near future. Majority of those who left BSP have joined SP but few leaders have also opted for Congress.

Meanwhile Congress Party launched attack on BSP and its president chief minister Mayawati at dalit sammelan held recently in Lucknow.

UPCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi charged Mayawati government of siphoning of central funds meant for dalit projects in the state. Rita Bahuguna alleged that cases of atrocities on SC and STs increased manifold during regime of dalit chief minister who herself was a woman too.

CLP leader Pramod Tewari alleged that rampant corruption by BSP government was responsible for pushing dalits away from development. He alleged that those, who did not give vote to BSP, were marginalised.

Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe PL Punia who is Congress MP from Barabanki charged Mayawati government for supporting anti-Ambedkar forces who are behind Anna Hazare’s movement.

Enthused by the success, Congress has decided to have series of such conventions all over the state and create awareness in dalits against chief minister Mayawati and her party. Congress leaders reminded dalits that AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi had been visiting houses of dalits all over the state and shared meal in some places.

It would be worth mentioning here that Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi is working very hard to win over dalits. As part of the strategy, Congress has given prominence to dalit in party organisation. (IPA)