Chennai: Raising the issue of social engineering in the bastion of Dravidian politics, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati today said her party was not caste-based and advocated reservation only on economic criterion for benefit of the poor of all castes.

Addressing the party's "Brotherhood Conference" here, she such a policy was aimed at benefiting the poor in all sections of society.

"Only parties opposed to BSP brand it as a caste-based party.... But we are not affiliated to any particular caste or religion," she said.

Asking her party members to take a cue from Uttar Pradesh where she successfully tried out the social engineering formula of integration of upper and lower castes, Mayawati asked them to repeat the same in Tamil Nadu to ensure victory for BSP in elections.

"Let me tell members of the upper caste that BSP is in favour of reservation based on economic criterion. Despite the party writing to the Centre many times on this issue, the respective governments have not responded," she said, adding if her party was voted to power in Lok Sabha elections "all grievances" on reservation will be addressed.

"The BSP is concerned about the poor in all sections of society.. It's an all-community party," she said.

Source : PTI