LUCKNOW: BSP president Mayawati on Monday said that her party has decided not to contest the zila panchayat chairman elections as it wants to channelise its energy on strengthening the organisation before the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.
The BSP president asserted that the people of the state want her party to form the next government and said she will go to polls with the slogan "Uttar Pradesh ko bachana hai, bachana hai, sarvjan ko bachana hai, bachana hai, BSP ko satta mein lana hai, zaroor lana hai" (We need to save Uttar Pradesh and save everyone and bring back BSP to power).
Instead of contesting the zila parishad chairman elections, the party has decided to concentrate on strengthening the party organisation and expand the base, Mayawati told newspersons.
Zila panchayat chairman polls in the state will be held on July 3.
"Once the BSP forms its government in the state, the majority of the zila panchayat chairman themselves will join the BSP as they cannot function without power. We have kept this fact in mind and so decided not to contest the election," she said.
Alleging misuse of state machinery in the polls, she said the BJP was using the same tactics that were used by the earlier Samajwadi Party government.
The former chief minister claimed that during the BSP government, there had never been any fraud or wrongdoings in big or small elections so as to keep the faith of the people intact in democracy.
"I also want to make it clear that if we would have been sure that these elections will be impartial then the party would have fought and at many places, BSP candidates would have proved victorious," she said.
She exuded confidence that her party will form the next government in the state and asked BSP workers and leaders to be wary of all kinds of tactics of Opposition parties.
"Opposition parties are working as per a planned conspiracy, especially through the media to spread rumours that BSP does not appear to be as active as it should have been for poll preparations so that our workers get discouraged," she said stressing that ever since the first wave of corona subsided, she has been in Lucknow holding regular meetings with partymen.
"I have been in Lucknow since the beginning of February and have been holding meetings on a regular basis for strengthening the party at every level. But unlike other parties I do not invite the media to show what all is being done. Meetings with party men of other states are also being held. Media, which is a strong pillar of democracy, should also not underestimate the BSP," she added.