BJP sets eyes on Dalit voters through Ayodhya

The BJP, seemingly under the impression that BSP supremo Mayawati's sway over the Dalits was diminishing and that it might become a viable option for them, has turned its attention to the community voters in Ayodhya.

That the saffron party sought to include Dalits in its Hindutva umbrella was evident during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Ayodhya, where he extensively reached out to the community.

The newly constructed Ayodhya International Airport, which was initially to be named after Lord Rama, was named after the Dalit saint Maharishi Valmiki, who authored the Hindu epic 'Ramayana', seemingly to send a message to the community. The Valmikis form a major part of the Dalit community in Uttar Pradesh.

Modi further visited the residence of Mira Manjhi, a member of the 'Nishad' (boatmen) community, and shared tea with her in Ayodhya. Although the Manjhi community is classified under the OBC category in Uttar Pradesh, it is among the Dalit community in Bihar.

The Prime Minister also invited Mira's family to participate in the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. As per the 'Ram Charitmanas,' Lord Rama had crossed a river in the boat of the 'Nishadraj' (Nishad King) and had bestowed blessings upon him. The invitation to the Manjhi family appears to be a deliberate effort to highlight the historical ties between Lord Rama and the community.

Interestingly, Modi also sported a green scarf while addressing a public meeting at Ayodhya during his visit, The green colour is usually associated with the Dalit community in the state.

''Dalits are also Hindus....they also worship Lord Rama and by reaching out to them and re-kindling the ancient bond with Rama we are only trying to make them feel that this government truly believes in 'sabka saath, sabka vikas','' remarked a senior UP BJP leader while speaking to DH.

Dalits constitute approximately 20 per cent of the total electorate in Uttar Pradesh, holding the potential to influence outcomes in over two dozen Lok Sabha constituencies. While the BJP secured victory in all 17 reserved seats in UP during the 2014 LS polls, its tally reduced to 15 seats in 2019. The alliance between Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav at that time posed a significant challenge, particularly on around half a dozen seats.

With Mayawati's sway among the Dalits seemingly slipping fast, BJP is only likely to intensify its efforts to wean away the community as the next LS polls near.