By: Vikas Sharma

Shimla: After an emphatic victory in the Uttar Pradesh elections, the Bahujan Samajwadi Party’s (BSP) elephant (BSP’s election symbol) is all set up for entering Himachal.

The party would be contesting in all 68 assembly seats in the forthcoming assembly elections, which are just eight months away, party general secretary, Man Singh Manhera said here.

Manhera, who also is the party in-charge of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, sent an open invitation to suspended Congress Party leader, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia to join BSP. Mankotia was suspended from the party, recently, when he came up with an audio CD, alledging currpotion charges on the state Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh.

The BSP would be following the formula of ‘Bahujan to Sarvajan’ in Himachal too, a mantra, which helped them grab power in UP.

The fight in the hill state has traditionally been between Congress and BJP. It would be  interesting to see, whether BSP would be able to dent their vote bank.

Meanwhile, Congressman and former member Human Right Commission, I D Bali today joined the BSP.