Mayawati fields two Dalit candidates for Rajya Sabha

Lucknow: BSP Wednesday announced Dalit leaders Rajaram and Veer Singh as its nominees for forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

As the strength of party legislators is less in Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, the party has fielded only two candidates for the Upper House, BSP supremo Mayawati said.

"After fielding Rajaram, we were left with one more seat. Giving this seat to any of the OBC, Muslim, and upper caste category could give wrong message, so I have decided to field both Dalit candidates for Rajya Sabha," Mayawati said.

Rajaram and Veer Singh, both outgoing MPs in current Rajya Sabha, were fielded from Azamgargh and Moradabad respectively.

"Our party has given due representation to persons of Sarv samaj in Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, and other elections. But in 2012 assembly polls, number of party candidates have decreased so we can send only two members," she added.

BSP has only 80 legislators in state Vidhan Sabha.

Meanwhile, Mayawati said that her party will go it alone in the Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand.

"BSP would contest the coming Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand alone like it did in Haryana and Maharashtra recently," she said.