New Delhi: Mayawati looked unquestionable as she conquered the stage and officially took charge as the Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. The Dalit leader who sewed the social fabric of Uttar Pradesh together went out of her way this time to make sure that Brahmins and upper castes were on her side, along with her permanent votebank - the Dalits - and the strategy seems to have reaped rich dividends.
Interestingly, parallels are being drawn between Mayawati—who is sworn for the fouth time now as the UP chief minister and AIADMK supreme Jayalalitha who controls similar power in Tamil Nadu. BSP ministers touched Mayawati’s feet as a gesture of respect. Mayawati during her initial years had slammed this very practice saying that touching feet is a typical Brahmin upper-caste custom. Of course now with a party that has a good strength of 51 Brahmins, 24 Muslims and 62 Dalits—she doesn’t seems to mind.
The BSP supremo’s securing single majority in UP assembly polls—a record win in the 14-years history of the state—is a feat that is being eyed with great envy and admiration in the political corner.
It’s also a lesson for the likes of Congress and BJP—that were washed out despite the star campaigners, Gujarat riot CDs, minority appeasement and the infamous ‘roadshows’. Who could have thought in the 90’s that a women dalit leader would be able to consolidate her power with a clever line of attack? It in fact was the Congress that had adopted and stuck to a political mix of upper castes in the top position and other minority and dalit candidates as their subordinate in the ministerial positions.
Mayawati has simply turned it around. As she mulls over the distribution of portfolios among ministers Naseemuddin Siddique, Ramvir Upadhayaye, Lalji Verma, Indrajit Saroj, Sukhdev Raj, Thakur, Jaiveer Singh—her social engineering emerges clear—Dalit on top and all others carefully woven into the political fabric of BSP government.
“Mayawati’s policy will influence other parties henceforth to dump the caste-based political approach. She has taken in her umbrella Brahmins, minority leaders and dalits. She will perhaps change the political equations in this country,” says political commentator and JNU professor Purushottam Agarwal.
“Caste politics may cease with Mayawati’s successful attempt at blending all casts and communities in her government,” he added.
With a rainbow coalition in the parliament, Mayawati seems ready to come with a consolidated ministerial cabinet in the parliament.
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