Mayawati leaves her cadre shocked

Though known to be an unpredictable politician, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati has never stunned her party workers so much as she did this week.

Mayawati’s decision to withdraw her case against Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav in the 1995 infamous State Guest House case has shocked her party cadre, more so, because it comes after the BSP snapped off its alliance with SP after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Mayawati, again, did the unexpected when she did not announce action against BSP MP Shyam Singh Yadav who had shared the Samajwadi platform in Jaunpur about ten days ago.

She also did not reprimand BSP MLA Aslam Raini who had defied the party whip and had attended the special assembly session on October 2.

“Both the leaders met me and explained their point of view. I have asked them to work towards strengthening the party and will give them a bigger responsibility,” she told shocked party supporters.

This is the first time that Mayawati has shown so much large-heartedness towards her bete noire Mulayam Singh and also erring party leaders — that too, when it was Mulayam Singh who had vehemently opposed the SP alliance with BSP.

“Mayawati’s recent decisions have left us confused. She has even ignored indiscipline in the party,” said a party leader.

Political experts, however, are of opinion that this generosity is not without reason.

Having tasted bitter defeat in the recent assembly by-elections where the BSP could not win even a single seat, Mayawati is now reworking her political strategy.

“She has realized that her Dalit vote base is shrinking rapidly and the Bhim Army is making inroads. She is, therefore, now trying to reach out to the SP again by being soft towards them. Withdrawing the case against Mulayam is designed to send a strong message to the Yadavs who still consider Mulayam to be their undisputed leader. She has also avoided action against Shyam Singh Yadav who was veering towards the SP and Aslam Raini, a Muslim. The BSP is apparently eyeing Yadavs and Muslims,” said Haseeb Siddiqui, a veteran journalist.

In recent weeks, after the Samajwadi Party won three seats in the assembly by-elections and reaffirmed its position as the main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh, a number of leaders from the BSP have joined the SP.

On Friday, former BSP minister Kamalkant Gautam joined SP. He merged his Bahujan Utthan Samaj Party into SP and said the BSP has drifted from its ideology and lost its commitment to the poor and downtrodden.

Akhilesh, meanwhile, thanked Mayawati for withdrawing the case against his father. However, he did not comment on the possibility of another alliance with BSP.