'It is an existential crisis. We cannot recover lost ground through social media. We need to forge alliances and reshape our ideological contours.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Monday traded barbs with her party dubbed as 'Behenji Sampatti Party' and she punning on his initials calling him 'Mr Negative Dalit Man'.
Mayawati's assets were amassed possibly only when she conceived and decided to auction her solid chunk of trusting Dalit votes to the most suitable bidder. Rather, than the most opportunist politician in exchange for her transferable Dalit vote bank during polls.
In an all Dalit village in Muzzaffarnagar, three girls who do mazdoori after finishing the day's chores, will cast their vote for the first time. Opening their home and heart to Archana Masih/Rediff.com, they say all they want is a high school, a vehicle to take them to the main road and a sewing machine.
Mayawati's failure to contest the election as also her not organising large election rallies, as she once did, have led political pundits to conclude, rightly or wrongly, that she is 'out of the race', Sunil Gatade and Venkatesh Kesri point out.
A full majority might be difficult, but Mayawati is in a commanding position this time.
The BSP chief said she will spend every moment of her life strengthening the party across the country and urged its members not to be disheartened.
Former Congressman Akhilesh Das, who was formally inducted into the BSP in Lucknow Saturday, has already begun to sing paeans for his new political mentor - Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati. Das made it a point to repay Mayawati for the significant position of BSP's national general secretary that was conferred on him. "If there is anyone truly deserving to occupy the country's highest office of prime miniter, it is none other than Behen Mayawati," he said.
Well before the counting of votes commenced at 8 am on March 6, Mayawati moved out of 4 Kalidas Marg, the UP chief minister's official residence, which she had converted into an inaccessible and impregnable fortress.
Mayawati also alleged that women in the BJP are scared of their husbands meeting the PM fearing they might 'abandon their wives like him' and that Modi deserves the abusive language used against him by the opposition.
The BSP chief alleged that Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party considered the Dalits as lowly.
A local sculptor has been roped in to carve out some 150 statues of 'Behenji' to be installed at election offices and other places by BSP candidates in the coming elections for campaigning purposes.
The BJP had registered a one-sided victory on all the 17 SC-reserved seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But in 2019, out of these 17 seats, it lost Nagina and Lalganj seats to the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The electoral battle in Varanasi, according to locals and political experts, is not about whether the PM will win for a third successive occasion, but if he will increase his share of the votes polled and his win margin.
Close on the heels of the 'shoe-cleaning' episode, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is in news again after an ad-hoc woman school-teacher was sacked allegedly for approaching her with a personal petition during her visit to the institution.
"Joh Behenji se tak raayega woh mitti mein mil jaayega (whoever challenges Mayawati will be doomed)," state PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui said.
The sacking of 10 ministers over the past 10 days by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has not only created a record of sorts, but more importantly, it is now being seen as her image makeover exercise ahead of the state assembly elections next month.
Statistics show the BSP has always gained from pre-poll alliances, reflecting in the party winning more seats in subsequent elections and largely retaining the vote share too. Virendra Singh Rawat reports.
BSP boss known for her over-the-top celebrations, where crores are splurged, has decided to keep it low this year. Does Kejriwal have anything to do with this?
With two more phases to go in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, Chief Minister Mayawati is confident of returning to power. "We would do better than the 2007 elections," said a beaming 'Behenji' after she cast her vote in Lucknow in the fourth phase of the elections on Sunday.
At present, there are 18 Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
He said he would continue to support the ruling coalition.
'In a world where the corridors of power are packed with sexually promiscuous men, it would be interesting to see what sort of a president a man committed to one woman 25 years his senior would make.'
'It's the same problem with all six of us. Behenji (Mayawati) is not to be blamed, but the coordinators have acted in a manner which has depressed us and we thought what is the use of remaining with such a party'
Kicking off Uttar Pradesh poll campaign, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Saturday took a dig at infighting in the Mulayam Singh Yadav family and targeted the ruling Samajwadi Party as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party, saying neither party is bothered about development of the state.
Earlier, when reporters asked Nath about his party's strategy for the elections in the central Indian state, he had said the party had not started talks of alliance with anyone.
The core BSP campaign continues to be 'cadre-based' and personal connect, such as knocking each door or through nukkad sabhas.
'Is baar vote jati par nahi, kaam par milega.'
Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Wednesday dubbed the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party as "KASAB", adding yet another acronym in the Uttar Pradesh poll campaign, and said development will elude the state till "Kasab is laid to rest".
The results will be seen as a virtual referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity after his demonetisation decision.
Mayawati urged the Muslim voters to vote for the party, saying her party has given tickets to 99 candidates from the community.
"To all casteist leaders I would like to say my only caste is poor, my only identity is poor."
In the dangal of UP politics, much as Muzaffarnagar wants to leave its past behind, the shadows are never be far behind.
The lively lot of politicians at the helm of India's most important political province.
As the Uttar Pradesh assembly election battle hits new lows, Rediff.com's Aslam Hunani walks you through all you need to know about the fifth phase of polling on February 27.
Writing on January 18, 2017, Nazarwala had this to say: 'The Modi wave may help the BJP score a triple century; its vanvaas in UP shall end before Holi.'
Writing on January 18, 2017, Nazarwala had this to say: 'The Modi wave may help the BJP score a triple century; its vanvaas in UP shall end before Holi.'
Narendra Modi on Monday vowed to cleanse the political system and Parliament from criminal elements if he comes to power and said his first job would be to set up a panel to probe pending criminal cases against Members of Parliament.
Amit Shah's meticulous planning and Modi's charisma will turn the tide in the BJP's favour, says Nazarwala.
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