In the politics of Uttar Pradesh, on the occasion of Kanshi Ram Jayanti on March 15, Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced to celebrate PDA Day across the state. In the letter sent by Akhilesh Yadav to the party officials, instructions have been given to organize tribute meetings in all the districts on this day.
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party is now going to celebrate the birth anniversary (March 15) of BSP founder Kanshi Ram as PDA Day. Under this, Akhilesh Yadav has sent a letter to the party officials and instructed that tribute meetings should be organized in all the districts of the state. This step is being seen as a strategy by SP to mobilize Dalit votes in its fold.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, SP was successful in partially consolidating the backward, Dalit and minority votes (PDA), due to which the party won 37 seats and became the largest party in Uttar Pradesh.
SP is making Kanshi Ram a weapon
This time Akhilesh Yadav is trying to repeat the same equation of 2024. Their aim is to send a message among the Dalit voters that there is an old relationship between SP and Kanshi Ram. At the time of Ram Mandir episode of 1992, BJP was considered invincible, then SP-BSP joined hands and changed the politics of UP.
Kanshi Ram had played an important role in organizing the Dalit-backward castes, which paved the way for Mulayam Singh Yadav to become the Chief Minister. Akhilesh Yadav is now making a strategy to re-mobilize Dalit votes by reminding them of the same history and charisma.
Mayawati called SP’s plan a ‘political gimmick’
BSP supremo Mayawati, reacting to this attempt of SP, has called it a “political gimmick”. He reminded of Lucknow’s guest house incident and said that SP was never Dalit friendly but used Kanshi Ram for political gains. Mayawati’s argument is that as soon as the politics came under threat, the SP had attacked the biggest leader of the Dalit community i.e. Mayawati herself. By reminding them of this incident, she wants to keep her Dalit supporters away from SP.
Equation of 2024 and its impact
SP got the support of Dalits in 2024 because:
- Mayawati’s political activism was less, due to which some BSP vote bank came towards SP.
- Rahul Gandhi’s allegations created doubt among Dalit voters on BJP.
- The controversial statements of BJP leaders attracted Dalit voters towards the India Alliance (SP-Congress).
Due to this, SP-Congress got unexpected success, and BJP had to suffer huge losses in UP. However, now the circumstances have changed. Mayawati is active again, she has challenged SP by holding a big rally in Lucknow. Rahul Gandhi and Congress currently do not have any big issue which can create a wave like 2024.
BJP is also trying to correct its past mistake, which has made the path of SP difficult. Political experts say that the Dalit vote bank will lean towards SP when Mayawati is not in the fray and the pro-BJP influence appears weak.
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