JOIN USMaya works on caste equations for big battle
In a bid to resurrect her party in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the big battle in 2014, BSP chief Mayawati has decided to experiment with a new kind of caste equation instead of ‘social engineering’ experiment, which failed to yield significant results for her in the recent Assembly polls.
According to BSP leaders, this time Mayawati has been focusing on the ‘most backward castes’ (MBC), instead of wooing Brahmins, who had been largely responsible for her successes in past electoral battles. “While Dalits remain her main focus, she feels that MBCs could come in handy in shoring up her votes in the general elections in 2014,” a senior BSP leader told Deccan Herald.
Keeping that in mind, Mayawati had recently appointed two leaders from the MBC community on key posts in the party. While Swami Prasad Maurya, an MBC, was made BSP general secretary, another MBC leader Ram Achal Rajbhar was made chief of the UP unit of the party. After BSP’s dismal performance in the Assembly polls, party leaders had been asking Mayawati to elevate some prominent MBC leaders to counter the ‘Babu Singh Kushwaha effect’.
Kushwaha, who had been expelled from the party by Mayawati after his name cropped up in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission scam, had campaigned against BSP in the Assembly polls. “The combined strength of Dalits and MBC could enable BSP to reap rich electoral dividends if they support the party,” the BSP leader said. Both Maurya and Rajbhar had been asked to galvanise support of MBCs.
“The two leaders have been touring different parts of the state and holding meetings with members of their communities.” According to party leaders, Mayawati feels that the alleged ‘anti-Dalit’ stance of the ruling Samajwadi Party government — as evident in renaming eight districts and schemes named after Dalit icons — will only consolidate Dalit support for BSP in the days to come. BSP had also selected 60 candidates for the next Lok Sabha polls from UP, though their names have not been made official yet. Party leaders say BSP will make law and order, power shortage, anti-Dalit activities of the SP government, and disrespect to Dalit icons as its poll plank.