MYSORE: As the ouster of Mallikarjuna Kharge as Opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly to accommodate former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah is almost certain, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is getting ready to encash on it.

The party feels that the change of guard in the Congress
legislative party would help mobilise dalits in favour of the BSP. The dalits had rallied behind the Congress in the last Assembly elections.

The BSP, that failed to open its account in the state in the Assembly elections with dalits rallying behind Kharge, is planning to organise the community and educate them on the Congress betrayal.

The decision to replace a loyal Congress worker and nine-time MLA like Kharge to keep Siddaramaiah in good humour has invited the wrath of various dalit organisations.

They also staged a protest in front of the Congress office in Mysore, warning the party bigwigs that it would disturb the party’s traditional vote bank.

The BSP, which is planning to field its candidates in all 28 seats in the state, has set a target to increase its vote bank by 3.5 to 8 per cent in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The party that managed to get 85,000 votes in the last Parliament election in Chamrajnagar (reserved) Lok Sabha constituency, is looking at fielding a senior dalit leader capable of wooing all backward communities and Muslims. Sources said that the party leaders would decide the poll strategy at the national executive meeting to be held on March 1 and organise assembly segmentwise rallies in Mysore region before March 15.