By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: BSP national President and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati is looking forward to her party’s rejuvenation through mega rally on October 9 at state capital on the occasion of death anniversary of founder of the party and dalit thinker Kanshiram.
Mayawati has set the target of over 5 lakh participants for this Lucknow rally and entire party leadership has been asked to work hard for the mega show of strength. Tired of being labelled as B team of BJP by her opponents, Mayawati wants to play important role in 2027 assembly and Lok Sabha polls later on.
As a part of her strategy, Mayawati brought back her young nephew Akash Anand and made him national coordinator to be incharge of all state units in the country. She also bought peace with former MP Ashok Sidharth, father in law of Akash and give him important position in the organisation. Mayawati also made changes in the organisational set-up to reach out to dalits, OBCs and minorities.
For the first time, Mayawati set up bhaichara samiti at the grass-root level to win over different castes in the organization for better social engineering. Mayawati is aware that dalit population in UP accounts for 22 percent and it would be difficult to win the election unless other castes were added.
Mayawati has realised that twice she became chief minister with the help of BJP and in 2007 her party came to power on its own through better social engineering with upper caste and minorities.
Since then Mayawati noticed consistent decline in fortune of her party in successive elections. Now her party has been reduced to 12 per cent of total votes in UP and single seat in UP Assembly. BSP could not open account in 2024 Lok Sabha polls despite hectic campaigning by Mayawati.
The experiment of alliance with Congress in 1996 and Samajwadi Party in 2019 Lok Sabha polls miserably failed for BSP. On both the occasions Mayawati unilaterally dissolved the alliance.
During last few years it was observed that Mayawati was under tremendous pressure that was why she openly attacked Samajwadi Party and Congress. And she only advised Modi government at centre and Yogi government in UP on the issues of governance. She avoided direct attack on BJP that was why her party was being levelled as B team of saffron brigade by Samajwadi Party and Congress.
During last few years Mayawati had confined herself to office and home, she was not seen attending public functions. It was only last few months Mayawati became active and brought back her Nephew Akash Anand who had earlier been stripped of all posts and removed from the party.
With the re-induction of her nephew Akash Anand, Mayawati is looking toward the involvement of younger generation to galvanise the party. It would be worth mentioning here that Akash Anand is very popular among young dalit population and has a good following in social media.
In order to make the rally successful ,party cadres have been asked to contact dalits, OBCs and minorities at the grass-root level. BSP is using wall writings, posters and slogans and songs to spread the message of mega rally all over state. All efforts are being made to mobilize people for the rally. There has been a big erosion of vote share from BSP due to the massive exodus of senior leaders and workers during last few years.
Samajwadi and Congress succeeded in making inroads of the dalit support of BSP in the name of saving the Constitution which helped both the parties increasing their number of seats in 2024 Lok Sabha seats giving massive shock to BJP and BSP.
There appears to be complicity of BJP and state government to make mega rally Mayawati a grand success. At a time when it is very difficult for Samajwadi Party and Congress or any other opposition party to take out any procession, delegation or to hold rally ,the state administration is supervising the security arrangements at the venue Rambai Maidan.
Now all eyes are on mega rally of BSP where Mayawati is scheduled to announce her future strategy at Lucknow on October 9. (IPA Service)
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