Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati introduced her brother and nephew to party workers at a rally in Meerut, triggering speculation that the two may play a significant role in the party in future.
The BSP supremo's brother Anand and nephew Akash yesterday shared the dais with her for the first time at any party rally. They waved at the public but did not give any speech.
Akash had accompanied Mayawati during a visit to Saharanpur in May after the clashes there.
Addressing her first rally after her resignation from Rajya Sabha in July, the former chief minister alleged that the dalits, tribals and OBC communities were being oppressed under the BJP.
Lakhs of posts were lying vacant, but no effort is being made to fill them, she alleged.
In the speech that lasted well over an hour, Mayawati compared her decision to quit the upper house to the resignation of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar as law minister in 1951.
She said that she resigned from the house as dalits were not allowed to raise their voice on the issue of Saharanpur clashes.
The rally is being as an attempt to galvanise party cadre ahead of municipal elections in Uttar Pradesh.
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