BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday stepped up her attack on the SP government in Uttar Pradesh alleging it was perpetrating “jungle raj” and there was attempt to put the Badaun gangrape case on the back burner.

Ms. Mayawati’s remarks were made at Katra Shahadatganj, the village where two dalit girls were brutally gangraped and murdered.

A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met the victims’ family, local SP MP Dharmendra Yadav also reached Katra Shahadatganj where he faced the anger of the inconsolable parents who have alleged that the police did not take prompt action in the case because of their caste.

Ms. Mayawati, who met the family of the cousins whose bodies were found hanging on a tree on May 28, 2014, announced Rs. 5 lakh each to the victims’ kin from her party fund, claiming that though they have refused the government compensation, they would accept her assistance.

“The family members told me that the local MP came this morning and offered compensation and all help, but they refused. They told that whatever I will give them, they will accept gladly,” she said after meeting the family.

“They (family) said police had all plans to save the accused which I strongly condemn,” she said .

“There was an attempt to put the case on the back burner and when I came to know this, I immediately decided to come to Badaun,” she said.

“After I got to know that the state government was delaying action, I sent my party’s national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui to the village and held a press conference.”

“The outcome of my decision was that the state government decided for a CBI inquiry into the matter,” she added.

Ms. Mayawati alleged that there was complete “jungle raj” in the State and Badaun was the most affected.

She threatened that if “atrocities” were committed on the people here in the future, she would stage a sit-in in protest.

Ms. Mayawati stayed at the victims’ house for around 20 minutes and said the financial assistance would reach them by Tuesday.

Narendra Modi may contest the Lok Sabha elections from Gujarat as well as Uttar Pradesh.

This follows a fresh assessment by BJP strategists who feel that that their prime ministerial nominee's candidature from two states may boost local cadre, improve prospects of other candidates and help the BJP in its quest for 272-plus seats in the Lok Sabha.

The assessment comes as Modi completed the first phase of his election campaign in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with rallies in Lucknow on Sunday and Muzzafarpur on Monday. Both states account for 120 of the 543 seats in the LS and are crucial for any party wishing to rule at the Centre.
A decision on Modi's candidature could be taken when the BJP's election committee meets on March 8, when the first list of candidates for UP is expected to be announced.

BJP strategists are keen that Modi contests from Varanasi — the nerve centre of eastern UP that is close to Bihar — as they feel it could electrify the mood in neighbouring Poorvanchal and parts of Bihar that together account for over 50 seats.

Key Modi aide Amit Shah, who is in-charge of UP, believes that Modi should accede to the demand of BJP workers to contest from Varanasi.

Party leaders said Modi might eventually exercise the option of contesting from both UP and Gujarat as he would not like to disappoint supporters in his home state who are "clamouring" for him to contest from there.

So far, sitting MP from Varanasi and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi has been reluctant to give up his seat. But party insiders said fresh efforts were on to persuade him to shift to another constituency, like Kanpur.

Party sources said that Joshi apparently had no reservations about giving up Varanasi if veterans like LK Advani also gave up their old seats. Advani has already announced that he intends to contest from Gandhinagar, a seat he has been associated with for several years.

Modi's managers say he can contest from any seat in Gujarat, ideally Gandhinagar. But Modi is not keen on displacing Advani and may prefer Ahmedabad or any other constituency, any of which should be a cakewalk for him.