Mayawati Warns BSP Workers Against Threat to Dalit Vote Base

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BSP Chief Addresses Press Conference on 69^th Birthday

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, January 15: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday warned the party workers against threat to the Dalit vote base. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister addressed a press conference in Lucknow on the occasion of her 69^th birthday.

Flanked by her trusted aide and the Rajya Sabha MP Satish Chandra Mishra, Mayawati took jibe at the Congress. “One doesn’t become an Ambedkarite by wearing blue clothes and holding the book of the Constitution,” said Mayawati.

The Congress since the Winter session of parliament has come out with the slogan of ‘Jai Bhim’. The Dalit identity political parties raise the slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ in reverence to late BR Ambedkar.

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“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, and the Samajwadi Party are eyeing the Dalit vote base. They are opportunist parties and have no genuine interests for the wellbeing of Dalits,” added Mayawati.

The BSP chief also referred to the controversy involving Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah over his remarks on Ambedkar made during a reply to the discussion on the 75^th year of the adoption of the Constitution. She urged upon the Dalit constituency to “know the true nature of the BJP”.

Mayawati also joined the Opposition chorus on the alleged manipulation of the electronic voting machines. “If the elections are held in free and fair manner and also without the manipulation of the EVMs, the people will see the true poll outcomes,” added Mayawati.

The BSP chief once more gave ample indications that she is grooming her nephew Akash Anand as her political heir. Mayawati presented Anand at the end of the press conference in a group photograph where she showed her affections for her nephew.

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Anand had led the BSP campaign during the Lok Sabha elections. But he was withdrawn midway the campaign after he went ballistic against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mayawati in a message posted on the social media platforms had stated that Anand needed to gain more maturity.

By warning the Dalit supporters against political parties eyeing their votes, Mayawati appears to have admitted that a vast chunk of her core support base has eroded in the recent years. The BSP drew blank in the Lok Sabha elections.

The BSP also is facing challenge from the mergence of Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan. The young Dalit leaders made successful entry into the Lok Sabha by winning the Nagina parliamentary constituency from Uttar Pradesh.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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