Mayawati:
A biography to wish herself a happy birthday
Monday January 16 2006 00:00 IST
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20060115115608&Page=H&Title=Top+Stories&Topic=0
NEW DELHI: Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati's birthday bashes
may have a familiar ring to them on Sunday, but the birthday girl has learnt
the art of springing surprises to make them fanciful events.
Sunday was a special day-it was Mayawati's 50th birthday-so even as the
mandatory cake (strawberry pink, her favourite colour) and her mentor and
party founder Kanshi Ram were wheeled out, Mayawati released her book, a
two-volume, 2,400-page tome titled .
It was the culmination of two years of hardwork, says party spokesperson
Sudhir Goel. She spent three hours every morning and evening to pen
herthoughts about life from student days to her present position as leader of
one of the largest Dalit political movements in the country.
Naturally, it was an emotional Mayawati who declared, after Kanshi Ram
released the books, “I have chosen this occasion to reiterate my commitment
to my guru, my mentor, Kanshi Ramji, who reposed his full faith in me to
carry the work of the Bahujan Samaj.” Mayawati then proceeded to read out the
text of Kanshi Ram's last public speech, given in Lucknow on August 25, in which he had
bigger plans for her.
Mayawati also launched the
Bahujan Prerna Trust, a fund to look after the poor, to which party MPs, MLAs,
and workers are expected to contribute generously.
Her birthday has always been an
occasion to collect contributions from party workers, with collection centres
in every district of UP. And, with an election year just ahead, the coffers
are already spilling over with ticket hopefuls and favour seekers, say party
sources. It is Mayawati who decides how the money is spent.
After the cake cutting ceremony, Mayawati, in diamonds and shiny pink attire,
gave Kanshi Ram the customary first slice. She then hustled her party
colleagues out and laid on a lavish lunch for the media, a sign perhaps that
she longer views the press with contempt. And as the party bards sang songs
in praise of the Bahujan Bahena, she presented copies of her book to every
present.
Mayawati celebrates 50th birthday
Manu Sharma
http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?category=National&slug=Mayawati+celebrates+50th+birthday&id=83714
Sunday, January 15, 2006 (Lucknow):
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief
Mayawati celebrated her 50th birthday in her typical flamboyant style.
This year's bash was held outside her residence in the capital instead of a vast
ground in Uttar Pradesh like earlier.
However, the lack of space did not seem to cramp the festivities, which
included a dancing elephant to glorify the party's election symbol. But the
biggest gift for the workers was a rare appearance by the party's
founder-leader Kanshi Ram, whose health has deteriorated in the past few
years.
Maywati used the opportunity to release her autobiography detailing her
struggles. She also unveiled the Bahujan Prerna Trust, which will look after
the needy.
It's now up to the party's MPs and MLAs to contribute to the fund. While the
money will be used for the benefit of the dalits, the final decision on where
the money is spent will rest with behenji.
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