When the Congress picked Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit, as the chief minister of Punjab, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati congratulated him but also sought to remind Dalits not to be “misled” by the “propaganda” of national parties such as the Congress.
Congratulating Channi but criticising the party that appointed him can be seen as usual politics, except that in Mayawati’s case there is more to it than meets the eye. The BSP chief is under huge pressure amid her party’s back-to-back poor poll performances in UP and the aggressive wooing of Dalits by the Congress and the BJP. Her appeal to Dalits is a sign of desperation as she tries to prevent a division of Dalit votes.
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