Post defeat, Maya out to mobilise cadre
Aware that her cadre had been taken aback by the rout in the assembly election, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati now plans to boost their morale for the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
And to show that she has not lost her support base, Mayawati has directed the party leaders and workers to visit the memorial of Kanshi Ram on his 83rd birth anniversary.
The iconic memorial located in the heart of the city was built by the BSP government (2007-12) as a symbol of Dalit empowerment. She will address the party workers in the state unit office after paying floral tribute to Kanshi Ram.
The BSP worst defeat in the assembly election since its inception in 1984 has sent the party workers into disarray-- it had fielded candidates on all 403 seats and secured victory on only 19.
Political observer RK Gautam says, “Mayawati also faces challenges of keeping her 19 MLAs together. Though the BJP enjoys majority in the legislative assembly, there had been tendency among the BSP MLAs to join the ruling party if the party has been cut to size in the assembly. Earlier, the BSP MLAs had joined the ruling party in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Though the BJP enjoys majority in the assembly, it will not hesitate in opening its door to the defector to embarrass Mayawati. It will also send a message that she was losing ground in the state that has largest Dalit population.”
The BSP also plans to launch a statewide movement over the issue of EVMs and some of its splinter organizations has already hit the road demanding ban on EVM and holding fresh assembly elections.
“Instead of blaming the EVM for defeat, Mayawati should introspect. The BSP polled around 22% vote which was higher than the 19% it polled in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Her Dalit- Muslim coalition failed to work as the BJP had already made dent into BSP’s backward caste vote,” said MK Pawan, a Dalit scholar.
LALJI VERMA MADE LEADER OF BSPLP
Former minister Lalji Verma has been made leader of the BSP legislature party. A meeting of the newly elected BSP MLAs was held under the chairmanship Mayawati on Saturday.
Uma Shankar Singh has been made BSP deputy leader in the legislative assembly. Former minister Ramveer Upadhyay has been made chief whip of the party in the legislative assembly.