Mayawati hits out at ‘deserters’; says party gaining ground in

UP Lucknow, Sep 10 (PTI) With some senior BSP leadersdeserting the party in the recent past, party supremo Mayawatitoday said it will have "no impact" on the "growing masssupport" of the outfit. Stating that BSP considers several issues before givingtickets to capable candidates, Mayawati said, "BSP is a socialmovement besides being a political party and it has to takeinto account several issues before giving tickets. Somesitting MLAs and MPs are also denied tickets. "The missionary workers remain in the party even afterbeing denied tickets but some others go to other parties toserve their selfish motives …but their move is not going tohave any impact on the growing mass support of BSP," she saidin response to those leaving the outfit for want of partytickets. Putting in a stern word for media, the BSP chief said,"They (media), however, project these reports as if BSP isgoing to suffer huge losses but it has been seen that all thishas no effect and the party keeps gaining ground." Mayawati said in view of the 2017 UP Assembly election,tickets are being given after considering all aspects and somedozen odd sitting MLAs have been denied tickets on the basisof "unsatisfactory reports from their areas, their work andefforts to connect the party with the ‘sarv samaj’ (public)". She said such MLAs were informed about the decision threemonths ago. Hitting out at BJP, which opened its door to two of BSP’smain deserters Swami Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathakrecently, Mayawati said it only proved the "bad shape" of thesaffron party in Uttar Pradesh. "It has become public knowledge that there is dearth ofcandidates in the BJP, like it had in Bihar. So it (BJP) wasgiving tickets to the new entrants who have been wooed by’misusing’ the central government, especially the onesleaving BSP," she said. PTI SAB SRY RGSRY