Playing aggressive Dalit-Muslim card, Mayawati had given more seats to Muslims than her core vote bank of Dalits.

It would be worth mentioning here that Mayawati had taken lead over other rivals in announcing her party tickets. Mayawati gave 97 seats to Muslims, 87 to Dalits , 106 to OBCs and 113 seats to upper castes.

Significantly when BSP came to power in 2007, Mayawati had given 61 seats to Muslims and 89 to Dalits. But when the party lost in 2012, Mayawati had given 85 seats to Muslims and 89 to Dalits.

During 2012 assembly elections, Mayawati banked more on Brahmins and gave them 113 seats but this time it has come down to only 66.

Ever since Mayawati came out with Dalit-Muslim strategy to capture power, she had been urging Muslims not waste their votes on Congress and Samajwadi Party since she alone was capable to stop BJP in UP.

But the much awaited alliance of SP and Congress has forced Mayawati to plan a fresh strategy to bring Muslims to her side. Mayawati has been saying to Muslim community if they combine with Dalits, then combination of 40 per cent of total population, could form the government.

So much so, prior to the announcement of the alliance, Mayawati urged Congress to keep away from Samajwadi Party whom she blamed for instigating communal riots in the state. Mayawati alleged that more 500 incidents of communal violence took place in the state during Akhilesh Yadav regime.

Through her press conferences, Mayawati is repeatedly blaming Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav for not protecting minorities interests during last five years.

BSP supremo has repeatedly promised to minorities to protect their interest and offered share in power from grass root level to her government.

During last two years, Mayawati had tried to win over the confidence of Muslims by holding bhaichara meetings with the community people from village level to block and district headquarters.

In order to counter SP-Congress alliance, Mayawati has tried to exploit differences between Mulayam Singh Yadav and his chief minister son Akhilesh Yadav.

All of a sudden, Mayawati has turned soft toward Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav telling SP supporters of Mulayam that they are being neglected by Akhilesh Yadav who is now leading the party.

Mayawati surprised everybody when she inducted former minister and powerful SP leader Ambika Choudhry who is considered to be crisis manager of Shivpal and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

BSP supremo not only announced that her party would give ticket to Ambika Choudhry but also said if Shivpal and others also decided to join her party, she would welcome them.

Unnerved by the alliance, Mayawati has started sending her close lieutenant Nasimuddin Choudhri, who is also Muslim face of BSP, to various prominent Muslim religious leaders to enlist their support.

Political observers feel that the alliance of Congress and Samajwadi Party will push BSP to third place as it would stop migration of Muslims votes towards Mayawati and her party. (IPA Service)