Ban pre-poll surveys by media outlets 6 months before polls: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Saturday said she will write to the Election Commission demanding surveys by media organisations and other agencies be banned six months before any elections, so that the polls in the particular state are not influenced by it. Addressing the 15th death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram at Lucknow. Mayawati demanded that Bharat Ratna be given to the late Dalit leader and added that people in Uttar Pradesh have made up their mind on changing power in the state. "You know that when the Assembly elections in West Bengal were going on, surveys were showing that Mamata Banerjee was trailing, but when the results came, it was the opposite. Those who were dreaming of (gaining) power, their dreams were shattered, and Mamata Banerjee staged a comeback with a huge majority. Hence, you should not be misled by these surveys," the BSP chief told the public.She also said the BJP-led Centre and UP governments are using the state machinery to make the atmosphere in their favour.

Without naming any party, Mayawati also said, "There are small parties and organisations, which may contest the elections alone or jointly. Their job is not to win the polls, but to give advantage to the ruling party from behind the scene, to realise their own vested interest. Hence, people of these castes and communities should not come under the influence of these parties and organisations." Mayawati's remarks came a day after a news channel in a survey showed that the BJP is poised to win the most number of seats in UP in the upcoming 2022 Assembly polls, and retain power.