Poll debacle forces Mayawati to woo back Dalits

Officials to inspect projects in backward localities

The party, according to its leaders, could revert to its aggressive Dalit agenda, which includes strict implementation of the SC/ST Act among others.

BSP leaders have reportedly urged Mayawati to focus more on Dalits as their apathy towards the BSP has cost the party dear in the polls.

“In its attempt to woo the upper castes, we are losing the support of  Dalits, which form our core vote bank”, quipped a senior BSP leader.

“While we could not woo the upper castes, the Dalits felt neglected and deserted us at many places”, the leader said pointing out at the results from the reserved constituencies. The BSP could win only two of the 17 reserved constituencies in UP. Mayawati, who has been holding meetings with party functionaries, MLAs and MPs and its district leaders since the announcements of the LS poll results, has been apprised about the feelings of the party workers.

Besides, the party office bearers also told Mayawati that one of the reasons behind the party’s poor performance was the “apathetic attitude” of the bureaucracy towards the problems raised by them. “The officials at the district level, especially from the police department, never paid any attention to the issues of public interest raised by us with regard to Dalits”, a senior BSP leader, who was present at the meeting, told Deccan Herald. “The MLAs and MPs had no say in the transfers of the officials in their respective constituencies...the transfers were directly handled by the bureaucrats in the CM’s secretariat”, he said.

“Police stations were auctioned to the highest bidder”, a BSP functionary reportedly told Mayawati alleging that the Dalits were also made to pay bribes to get their work done. “The chief minister surprisingly listened patiently without reprimanding us”, the leader said.

Mayawati assured the party leaders that she would look into the issues and do the needful.  The party leader  also told them to directly meet the officials in her secretariat to get quick attention of their problems.

She directed the officials to visit at least one Dalit locality every month to physically verify whether the measures initiated by the state government were reaching them. The BSP  could secure only 20 seats in the LS from UP and was pushed to the third spot behind the SP and the Congress.  
DH News Service