By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: After satisfactory performance in Lok Sabha elections when the party gained 10 seats BSP national President Mayawati is busy in consolidating her vote bank in Uttar Pradesh.
There is a realisation in Mayawati that BJP succeeded in making dent in her dalit support when a large number voters from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes voted for BJP candidates in UP. That is why Mayawati went out of her way to Modi government on the issue of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mayawati knows that Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar was opposed to Article 370 in Kashmir. By opposing the changes in Article 370 by Modi government through Parliament, Mayawati didn’t want to be seen going against the wishes of BR Ambedkar. That is why Mayawati supported Modi government on the issue of Article 370 whole heartedly. Mayawati knows that followers of BR Ambedkar all over the country would appreciate the stand on Article 370.
After making serious attempt to consolidate her base dalits Mayawati once again played aggressiveMuslim card when she made former Rajya Sabha MP Munkad Ali as state President. The party announcement said that since party believed in philosophy of sarvjan sukhai and Sarvjan Hitai that is why Munkad Ali was made state President . It was also pointed that Munkad Ali started his political innings from BSP only and remained in the party and followed the directions of leadership.
Since BSP succeeded in getting three Muslim MPs in Lok Sabha Mayawati must have decided to have a muslim state President to make inroads in the community. It would be worth mentioning here that Mayawati is making all attempts to make dent in muslim support of Samajwadi Party.
In this mission, Mayawati publicly said during alliance with SP, Akhilesh had told her not to give too many tickets to Muslims in Lok Sabha polls.
Akhilesh Yadav refrained from making any comment on what Mayawati said publicly to damage him. He enjoys tremendous goodwill on Muslim community.
Samajwadi Party is enjoying support from Muslim community eversince Mulayam Singh Yadav as CM opened fire on karsewaks in Ayodhya in 1990 to protect Babri Masjid.
During 2017 Mayawati had played aggressive muslim card in assembly polls when she gave more than 100 tickets to Muslim candidates and almost daily fatwahs were issued which caused immense damage to BSP and reverse polarisation for BJP.
And BJP came to power with more than 300 seats headed by Yogi Adityanath who was face of aggressive Hindutva.
Now once again Mayawati is depending on Muslim card and thinks that dalit-muslim unity will ensure smooth sailing in forthcoming elections. That is why Munkad Ali has been given important task to make inroads in his community.
In order to win over powerful community Yadavs, Mayawati has made Shyam Singh Yadav Jaunpur MP as leader of Lok Sabha group. Similarly RS Kushwaha who represent’s most backwards community, has been made All India General Secretary of the party.
Since Mayawati herself belongs to Jatav community in dalits, Girish Chandra Jatav is given important position of chief whip in Lok Sabha. Mayawati remembers that social engineering of 2007 helped her to grab power with the help of brahmin community that is why Ritesh Pande is deputy leader in Lok Sabha.
The only problem with Mayawati and her party is that they never come on roads to protest against government policies. Only time will tell how the changes in the party organisation will help the party in future.(IPA Service)