LUCKNOW: Where Opposition party leaders are wasting no time in reaching west UP to commence campaigning for the upcoming state elections, there are still a few more days before BSP chief Mayawati will step out to address her supporters.
Party sources say that they are waiting for Saturday, when the Election Commission of India will review its limit of 300 persons who can be addressed collectively in an enclosed space, in the hope that this limit is increased.
“The scrutiny of candidates in the first phase of polling will take place on January 24 after which symbols will be allocated to candidates. Once both these aspects are clear, Mayawati’s schedule to address rallies, beginning from west UP where the first phase of polling is to take place on February 10, will be finalised. It is necessary that candidates are finalised since they will be in-charge for organising the event,” said a party member.
Mayawati, who has addressed one rally at the Kanshi Ram Smarak in Lucknow in November and another at her party office in the state capital a month before that, had justified her absence from the ground saying that a party like hers had limited resources which it would like to use properly only closer to the elections.
A party worker said that in such a scenario, it would help if the limit of 300 persons was increased. In case it was not or if the increase was minor then Mayawati will be compelled to begin with virtual rallies.
“We are in the process of setting up a system through which she and other party leaders can hold virtual rallies. The system will be ready within the next couple of days and we should know by next week, whether Behenji will prefer to address physical rallies or have to interact via the virtual medium,” he added.
