BSP relies on Muslims and Dalits for a return
BATTLEGROUND BUNDELKHAND Mayawati plays statehood card in rallies, raising issues of migration and backwardness of the region
LUCKNOW : With two senior leaders of the party belonging to Bundelkhand in fray, the prestige of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is at stake in the fourth phase of polls in 19 assembly constituencies across seven districts of the region on Thursday.
The BSP is relying on the party’s Muslim face Naseemuddin Siddiqui and legislature party leader Gayacharan Dinkar, both with roots in Banda. They enjoy considerable influence in the region and have played a pivotal role in strengthening the party at the grass roots level. Mayawati rewarded them with top posts in the organisation.
Mayawati played the Bundelkhand statehood card in rallies at Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur and Jalaun. Raising the issue of migration and backwardness of the region, she told the people that statehood was the panacea for the region.
“The BSP government passed a proposal for creation of a separate Bundelkhand state before the 2012 assembly election. The recommendation was sent to the central government but no action was taken by the previous UPA government or the current NDA government,” she said.
The statehood card failed to pay electoral dividends in 2012 when the BSP bagged only seven assembly seats. The SP captured five, the BJP three and the Congress four seats. In 2007, the BSP won 14 seats in Bundelkhand, which played an important role in formation of a majority government in the state after 18 years.
Dinkar, who is contesting from Naraini in Banda, said, “A decade of drought, failure of the state government to provide relief, neglect of Bundelkhand by the SP government in UP as well as NDA government at the Centre have disillusioned the people and they are willing to support BSP again. The promise of statehood has rekindled their hope,” he said.
The BSP is relying on DalitMuslim combination to make a comeback in the region. To woo upper caste voters, particularly Brahmins, party national general secretary SC Mishra addressed meetings.
The rebels are trying to upset the BSP applecart. Daddu Prasad, a former minister and close aide of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, has floated Bahujan Mukti Party, fielding candidates for a majority of the seats.
Babu Singh Kushwaha, a former aide of Mayawati, has floated Jan Adhikar Party and urged his community to defeat the BSP. Former BSP zonal coordinator Brij Lal Khabari is contesting on Congress ticket. Senior BSP leader RK Singh Patel, popular among the backward castes, joined the BJP. Rajnarayan Budhauliya, BSP MLA from Mahoba, has also distanced from party activities.
Despite these developments, Dinkar said the rebels have limited influence and will not be able to dent the BSP votebank. “We will win a majority of the seats as people want change and know that the BSP government (2007-12) had launched several development projects,” he said.
The BSP is also working to regain lost ground in the neighbouring Fatehpur district.
BSP supremo Mayawati, as well as senior leaders like SC Mishra, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Indrajit Saroj and Gayacharan Dinkar, addressed meetings in the district. In 2012, the BSP won three out of six seats in Fatehpur, the SP bagged two seats and one seat went to the BJP.