Mayawati dumps social engineering

BSP chief falls back on dalit vote-bank

BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday decided to field scheduled caste partymen Vir Singh and Raja Ram for the Rajya Sabha elections in a bid to again encash her tried and tested dalit vote bank, thus giving a go-by to her once successful social engineering formula.

Six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members, including Brijesh Pathak, Akhilesh Das, Avtar Singh Karimpuri, Brijlal Khabari, Raja Ram and Veer Singh, are retiring on November 25.

With 80 members in the legislative assembly, BSP is in position to send only two candidates. Speculation was rife in party circles that Mayawati would apply the social engineering formula by nominating a dalit candidate and Brahmin Brijesh Pathak. However, the BSP chief decided otherwise.

Speaking to newspersons, Mayawati said: “I have decided to select dalit candidates for Rajya Sabha election. Both Vir Singh and Raja Ram are committed to party men.”

Mayawati said selection of backward, Muslim or upper caste candidates could have led to dissension among the cadre.

Riding on the social engineering formula (dalit/Brahmin/ backward) the BSP captured power in the 2007 assembly election. Then leaders belonging to Brahmin community were given important positions in the organization as well as government as the party planned to extend its base with the support of the social engineering formula.

The reason being seen for Mayawati dumping the social engineering formula is the shift of the upper caste and backwards to BJP in the Lok Sabha election and Muslims rallying behind Samajwadi Party.

Sanjay Singh, a political observer, said with an eye on the 2017 assembly elections, Mayawati wants to make it clear to her core supporters that BSP would remain a dalit based party. She does not wish to annoy the dalits who stood by her in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Though BSP failed to open account in that election yet it polled 20% votes.

With this latest move, the BSP chief also plans to check BJP and Congress from wooing the dalit voters. Congress has fielded its Dalit face PL Punia for the Rajya Sabha election

A native of Azamgarh district, Raja Ram was projected as a successor of Mayawati. He is in-charge of four states. Vir Singh is resident of Moradabad in west UP. A loyal soldier of Kanshi Ram he is a founder member of BSP.