Mayawati delegates responsibility of assembly polls to aides

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday delegated responsibilities of poll going states of Maharashtra and Haryana to her aides, sources said.

She also gave responsibility of assembly bypolls to be held on 11 seats in Uttar Pradesh to her aides.

Sources said party's Rajya Sabha member Veer Singh has been assigned the responsibility of preparing for assembly elections in Delhi which could be held later this year or in early 2020.

Besides the two states, he has been given charge of Palwal and Faridabad districts for the October 21 polls.

Another Rajya Sabha member from the party, Ashok Siddharth has been given the responsibility of the Maharashtra assembly polls. He has also been given responsibility of Prayagraj, Agra, Aligarh and Mirzapur divisions of Uttar Pradesh for the bypolls.

Another Rajya Sabha member from the party, Rajaram has been been assigned the charge of Ambala in Haryana and the four assembly seats in Punjab gong for bypoll.

The decisions were taken after a review meeting held here, party sources said.

Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana will be held on October 21. The Jharkhand assembly polls could be announced next month.

Though in the past the BSP has avoided contesting by-elections, this time it is contesting all assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.

While voting for the Hamirpur seat has already taken place, bypoll in 11 other assembly seats is due on October 21.

Most of the bypolls were necessitated as sitting MLAs won the recent Lok Sabha elections and entered Parliament.

Last week, Mayawati had dissolved the party's executive in Rajasthan, days after its all six legislators joined the Congress.

National convener Ramji Gautam and former Rajya Sabha member Munkad Ali have been given the responsibility of the BSP in Rajasthan.