Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Monday tried to woo Muslim voters in Delhi as part of an effort to chip away at sections considered traditional Congress allies. Addressing a rally in Aligaon village of Badarpur constituency in Delhi, she said, “Muslims in Delhi have been ignored and we will make amends. We’ll give them benefits on the lines of those for the Dalits.”

Her speech was preceded by that of former Samajwadi Party leader, Shahid Siddiqui, who joined the BSP in July. Addressing the rally, Siddiqui said, “Muslims have not been given their due and that needs to change. We are not bonded labourers of the Congress. Sachar Committee has exposed what they have actually done for us.”

“For Muslims, BSP is the only option,” he added.

Constituencies like Okhla, Tughlaqabad and Jangpura in the outer reaches of Delhi have a sizeable Muslim population and will play an important role in the elections.

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for linking terrorism to Islam, Siddiqui said, “Bhagwa rang mein bhi aatank chhupa hai (saffron also has stains of terrorism).

Former Congressman Ram Singh Netaji is contesting against Ram Vir Singh Bidhuri of the Congress from the Badarpur constituency.

Mayawati said the fact that the BSP is fighting fully prepared and on all seats indicates that it is in a position spoil the chances of both the Congress and the BJP. Appealing to the Dalits and the poor, she alleged that governments so far have done little to improve their economic condition.

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