In her nearly hour-long speech Mayawati, who had swept to power in 2007 by playing Dalit-Brahmin-Muslim card, seems to have chalked out plan to now play Dalit-OBC-Muslim card to counter the rival forces. With Aakash Anand, newly appointed national convenor and her nephew by her side, Mayawati lauded him for doing hard work to regain lost ground in the state, writes M Hasan
Lucknow, October 9: Nearly after a decade, the Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati today addressed a massive rally of her supporters on the occasion of the 19th death anniversary of the party’s founder Kanshi Ram. Setting the agenda for 2027 UP assembly election, while showing soft corner to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati not only announced to go it alone but also sharply attacked the Samajwadi Party and the Congress. Mayawati praised the UP government for upkeep of memorials of Dalit icons, which were constructed during her regime in 2007-2012. During SP’s government the BSP had organized similar rally at this place in 2016.
Mayawati showcased her party’s revival and intensified her political narrative on the occasion thereby giving direction to her vast cadre in the state. In her nearly hour-long speech Mayawati, who had swept to power in 2007 by playing Dalit-Brahmin-Muslim card, seems to have chalked out plan to now play Dalit-OBC-Muslim card to counter the rival forces. Aakash Anand, newly appointed national convenor and her nephew by her side, Mayawati lauded him for doing hard work to regain lost ground in the state.
While in 2012 assembly Muslims and Brahmins had largely migrated to SP, in later electoral battle- 2014, 2019, 2024 (Lok Sabha) and 2017 and 2022 BJP made major dent in the BSP core Dalit vote bank. Brahmin community had strongly aligned with BJP and Muslim came closer to SP. It sharply resulted in to shrinking of BSP vote share from nearly 30 percent in 2007 to 12 percent in 2022 in which the party could win just one MLA seat. Today’s show of strength indicated the BSP’s concerted efforts to largely bring back fragmented Dalit vote bank, which is around 22 percent in UP.
Large number of BSP’s supporters from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, MP, Bihar and Rajasthan had also come to attend the rally. Massive arrangement was made at nearby Rama Bai Sthal to accommodate these people. While blue flags fluttered all the way from city to rally ground, the state police had tight security arrangements because of high turnout.
She gave a clarion call to her supporters for a “government of the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2027.” In a generous gesture towards the present government, Mayawati lauded the Yogi Adityanath government for maintaining the memorials and parks dedicated to Dalit ideologues and icons, which were built during her tenure. “I had written to the Chief Minister urging that ticket proceeds from visitors to these sites be used for their upkeep. The BJP government took a positive approach and bore the maintenance cost. For this, I thank them,” she said.
However, she immediately launched a broadside against the Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing them of hypocrisy and “double standards.” “When they are in power, they forget Kanshi Ram ji and the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) agenda. But once out of power, they remember both. Such two-faced people must be kept away,” she warned her supporters. Mayawati’s approach towards BJP in maintaining the memorials has presumably given shape to thing to come up in future.
The BSP supremo continued her tirade against the SP, adding, “If the Samajwadis respected Kanshi Ram ji so much, why did their government change the name of the district we had named after him in the Aligarh division?” She accused the SP of dismantling institutions and welfare schemes created in Kanshi Ram’s name, calling it proof of their “anti-Dalit and casteist mindset.”
Mayawati did not spare the Congress either, branding it a party of “nautanki” (theatrics) that has historically ignored the interests of Dalits. “The Congress never awarded Bharat Ratna to Babasaheb Ambedkar. Even when Kanshi Ram ji passed away, neither the Congress-led Centre nor the SP government in UP declared a day of national mourning. That shows their real mindset,” she asserted, attacking the INDIA alliance partners. Mayawati’s harangue against SP was because of the Akhilesh Yadav’s PDA card which is catching the imagination of the people.
Reacting to Mayawati’s tirade the SP chief Yadav wrote on X “Kyonki unki andarooni santh ganth hai jaari, isliye woh zulm karne walon ke hain aabhaari” (since there was secret understanding, they are thankful to those repressing the people). But a minister in Yogi government Om Prakash Rajbhar said, “Indeed Mayawati has huge following. There is a storm of people behind Mayawati, all due to her devotion to her community.” On elections, Rajbhar says, “…Gone are the days when political parties could form the government on their own…allies formation is today’s need…”
Referring indirectly to Azam Khan and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, Mayawati sought to quash speculation over possible alliances. “I do not meet anyone secretly. Whenever I meet someone, I do it openly,” she said, dismissing rumors about Azam Khan joining the BSP. Taking a jibe at Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, she said, “To cut into the BSP’s votes, the opposition has created small organizations by using selfish and saleable people.”
Mayawati also accused the BJP and Congress of “using Dalits as vote banks,” saying all caste-based parties have conspired to prevent the BSP’s rise. “They knew that if the BSP came to power on its own in the states, it would reach the Centre as well,” she said, raising the issue of alleged EVM manipulation and alliances of convenience. A special chair was reserved for her, while sofas were arranged for prominent leaders representing various communities. Among them were Muslim leaders Munqad Ali, Nausad Ali, and Shamsuddin; Dalit leaders Anand (Mayawati’s brother), Girish Chandra Jatav, and Dhanshyam Chandra Kharwar; along with leaders from the OBC and general categories such as Satish Chandra Mishra, Umashankar Singh, and Vishwanath Pal.
(M Hasan is former Chief of Bureau Hindustan Times Lucknow)
