**Hundreds of thousands of people have rallied in the Indian city of Lucknow to mark the 25th anniversary of a party which represents low-caste Hindus.**Large parts of the city were turned blue, the colour of the Bahujan Samaj Party which has a huge following among Dalits (formerly “untouchables”).
Party leader Mayawati said she would champion Dalit rights until she died.
Ms Mayawati is India’s first Dalit woman chief minister. Her critics say she has amassed vast personal wealth.
Statues
Lucknow, the capital of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, was draped in blue lights and every single hoarding leading to the rally ground was blue for Monday’s celebration.
“I am proud of the Dalit people. Whenever I have needed them, they have supported me”
Mayawati,
Uttar Pradesh chief minister
The massive ground was packed to capacity with thousands of supporters spilling out into nearby areas. Some estimates say nearly 400,000 people turned up to hear Ms Mayawati speak.
She had claimed beforehand that more than two million people would attend.
Supporters cheered and clapped, and some even danced, throughout her 95-minute address.
Every time she spoke about repression of Dalits - who are at the bottom of the Hindu caste system - the crowds went delirious.
“While I have one drop of blood left in me, I will champion the cause of the Dalits,” Ms Mayawati told those present.
A former school teacher, Ms Mayawati is one of India’s most colourful politicians.
She has governed Uttar Pradesh and its 180 million people since state elections in 2007.
In the past few years, she has amassed massive personal wealth, developing a fondness for lavish birthday parties and diamond jewellery.
She has been taken to court for commissioning massive statues of past Dalit icons and herself at great public expense.
The BBC’s Geeta Pandey in Delhi says Ms Mayawati’s critics accuse her of wasting precious government funds in one of India’s most backward states.
Uttar Pradesh has soaring crime, poor health services and very high illiteracy rates.
Our correspondent says Ms Mayawati appears unfazed by all the criticism and has spoken many times about her ambition to be the prime minister of India.
Her supporters also seem unconcerned by the criticism - analysts say the turnout at Monday’s rally proves they still have faith in her leadership.
“For us, she is a Goddess. She has empowered us. Given us a voice which now people are listening to,” one woman at the rally told the Associated Press news agency.
Despite her success in Uttar Pradesh, Ms Mayawati’s plans to make her presence felt in national politics suffered a serious setback in last year’s general elections.
Her party denied claims on Monday that state funds had helped pay for Monday’s festivities, saying it had footed the bill.