During last few months, there have been large scale desertions of leaders from BSP. All those who left party, had been very close to Mayawati and were occupying significant positions in the party.

Biggest jolt was given by Swami Prasad Maurya who was Leader of Opposition and second most visible face of BSP after Mayawati.. Maurya commands tremendous influence among powerful Kushwaha-Maurya backward community in the state.

Kushwaha demonstrated his strength when he recently joined BJP and organized impressive rally of his community in Lucknow which was addressed by BJP national president Amit Shah. At this meeting, Amit Shah leveled allegations of corruption and selling of tickets against Mayawati.

Similarly RK Choudhry, who had been associated with BSP when it was formed under the leadership of founder Kansiram, also left party for the second time. Choudhry who had been minister with Mayawati, leveled serious charges against BSP supremo. Choudhry belongs to Pasi community which is second most dalit caste after jatavs whose undisputed leader is Mayawati.

Recently Brijesh Pathak, ,prominent Brahmin face of party enjoying good rapport with Mayawati also left party and accused the leadership of selling tickets.

It would be worth mentioning here that Brijesh Pathak was instrumental in mobilizing Brahmins to party holding Brahmin bhaichara samiti meetings all over the state.

The biggest problem before BSP is to bring dalit voters back to party who had deserted party and voted for BJP to make Mr Narendra Modi as PM. The manner in which BJP is making inroads in dalit community by holding meetings and sharing meal with them and promising jobs ,hs unnerved BSP supremo Mayawati.

A large number of BSP MLAs also left party to join others while leveling allegations of selling of party tickets to those who had big money. They also said that tickets were also changed if anybody offered more money.

So much so Padam Singh who had been Personal Security Officer of Mayawati also quit party and joined BJP.

In order to show that everything was well in the party, Mayawati admitted several muslim MLAs especially Dr Muslim from Rae Barelli. The impression was given that BSP was emerging as first choice for muslims.

That is why Mayawati is giving maximum number of tickets to muslims this tme to take benefit of the tendency of minorities to vote in bulk. Mayawati has been saying that if muslims (18 per cent in total population of the state) with dalits who constitute 22 per cent in the population vote for BSP, the Party will sweep in the coming assembly polls. Mayawati has been urging muslims to join BSP to share power with dalits in UP in 2017.

Mayawati has taken lead in organizing party rallies in different parts of state where main thrust is to campaign against Modi government at the centre.

Eversince Congress stated playing brahmin card by bringing Mrs Sheila Dixit, the Brahmin face as chief minister candidate and Samajwadi Party giving prominence to Brahmins in recent cabinet expansion, Mayawati also asked Satish Mishra to organize Brahmin bhaichara samiti meetings all over the state.

Satish Mishra MP addressed first Brahmin-dalit bhaichara conference at Gorakhpur on September 25 and reminded Brahmins they shared power during BSP regime between 2007 and 2012.

In the presence of large number of Brahmins at the conference, Satish Mishra said that as many as 13 brahmin MLAs were made ministers in 2017. He further said that from post of SHO (police) to additional cabinet secretary posts were given to Brahmins. He assured that this time too Brahmins would be given prominence in the government.

BSP leaders feel that beside social engineering of various castes the issue of deterioration in law and order would help party in mobilizing support from peoples of state. That is why deterioration in law and order has become main poll agenda for BSP campaigners. (IPA Service)