Maya's Popularity in UP Is No Illusion

The BSP supremo was confident and combative at her rally, criticising the BJP and wooing the Muslim vote bank.

- Mudit Mathur

The fluctuating political graph of Uttar Pradesh is reflecting rising dividends for the Bahujan Samaj Party, which was much in evidence at a mammoth rally organised by its supremo Mayawati in Lucknow to commemorate the tenth death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, a Dalit icon, on 9 October. It was a platform to play her masterstroke of social engineering by attempting to consolidate its Dalit-Muslim base to regain reins of power in Uttar Pradesh.

Oozing confidence, Mayawati wore a designer salwar suit in her lucky colour — pink — when she came to garland the statue of Kanshi Ram at his memorial. She had her own statue installed by his side during her last tenure as chief minister (2007-12). She addressed her cadre for around 50 minutes, attacking the BJP and criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies. She characterised the surgical strikes across the border as delayed action on his part. “Had he woken up after Pathankot attacks, Uri attacks could have been averted. That took a big toll on our soldiers,” she asserted, in a combative mood at the rally.

“The pyre of jawans who lost their lives in the Uri attack has not yet cooled, but the PM is coming to Lucknow to celebrate Dussehra just for taking political mileage,” Mayawati commented. She asserted that such an event should be toned down in view of the loss suffered by the nation and the families of soldiers who were killed in the disastrous Uri terror attack.

According to her, the BJP is hyping up the surgical strikes and cross border terrorism to win votes in the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Punjab. “War frenzy between India and Pakistan is nothing but just a delusionary tactic to divert public attention from the failure of the Modi government to keep its promises.”