Dr Rohini Ghawari, former girlfriend of Chandrashekhar Azad, chief of the Bhim Army and Nagina MP, is set to take a plunge into UP political landscape. She is already in talks with the Samajwadi Party top leadership. Currently, based in Switzerland, Ghawari plans to return in June and may mobilise non-Jatav Dalits, especially the Valmiki and Pasi communities, in support of the Samajwadi Party. She has plans to hold around 200 meetings across the state, followed by a major rally in Agra or Lucknow with Akhilesh Yadav as the chief guest. Ghawari has been accusing Bhim Army chief of betrayal and exploiting her physically for quite sometime.
Mayawati’s ‘chameleon’ comment at SP, Congress
On the defeat of Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament, BSP chief Mayawati accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party of double standards on matters related to the welfare of SC/STs, OBCs and Muslims saying that the two parties should have accepted the proposals of the Women’s Reservation Bill for these communities. She also supported the govt move to base the delimitation exercise on the 2011 Census. Taking to X, Mayawati accused the Congress and SP of changing colours like a chameleon. The BSP chief has welcomed the Women’s Reservation Bill but has demanded separate chunks for the reserved category.
Smriti-Akhilesh spar over saas-bahu jibe
Squabbling is on between Smriti Irani and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav as the former challenged Yadav to contest an election from a constituency other than his family stronghold. Smriti’s jibe at Yadav came after he referred to her as “saas-bahu wali” in Lok Sabha saying she had lost. Smriti Irani hit back, saying that if Akhilesh had the courage, he should win an election from somewhere other than his ancestral seat and stronghold. She challenged the SP chief to contest elections from Gorakhpur. On Akhilesh’s stand on the women’s reservation bill, she said that the Constitution did not provide for reservation on the basis of religion.
Namita bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com