Mayawati takes stock of BSP's assembly poll preparedness

Ahead of assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana and by-elections in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati on Tuesday held a series of meetings with party observers from these states.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister held separate meetings with observers from Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkand and Uttar Pradesh.

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

Sources said party's Rajya Sabha member Veer Singh has been assigned the responsibility of preparing for assembly elections in Maharashtra.

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.

After developments in Rajasthan, she also held meetings with party's observers in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, the sources said.