With new approach towards Dalits, Samajwadi Party hopes to bring followers of Ram Manohar Lohia, Dr B R Ambedkar and B P Mandal on one platform for electoral gains in 2022 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

There is realisation in Samajawadi Party that Bahujan Samaj Party is on decline. Former chief Minister Mayawati is also losing her relevance in political circles. Eversince BSP was voted out of power in 2012 assembly poll, the party witnessed continuous decline in vote share in every successive polls.

There has been exodus of senior leaders from BSP who had been associated with the party since its formation in 1984. Those who worked under founder Kanshiram are no longer with the party. A large number of dalit bureaucrats who had been part of support system of BSP are no longer with Mayawati and they have formed a separate group and looking towards Samajwadi Party as main opposition.

Samajwadi Party workers also put diya on the statues of Ram Manohar Lohia and B P Mandal whose report known as Mandal Commission gave reservation to backward community. Akhilesh Yadav also announced setting up of Baba Saheb Vahini to take the issues of Dalits and provide adequate relief to them. Akhilesh Yadav is aware of attempts being made by BJP and Congress to make inroads in dalit voters in view of 2022 assembly polls.

It would be worth mentioning here that for the first time Kashiram contested by-polls for Lok Sabha with help of Samajwadi Party and won. Again in 1993, Samajwadi Party joined hands with BSP and formed the government. But due to attack on Mayawati on June 2, 1995 at state guest house in Lucknow, Samajwadi Party and BSP became arch rivals.

But for 2019 Lok Sabha polls Akhilesh Yadav took the initiative and joined hands with arch rival BSP but the experiment miserably failed. Soon after the polls, Mayawati dumped Akhilesh Yadav and ended the alliance unilaterally.

Shocked by this behavior, Akhilesh Yadav started poaching the support base of Mayawati. He succeeded in weaning away a large chunk of supporters of Mayawati who was already losing her popularity. During last four years, Mayawati never hit street to protest against policies and programmes of Yogi Adityanath government.

On the contrary, Mayawati was seen to be advising Modi Government and the UP Government on the issues of migrant labourers, handling of pandemic or day to day functioning of state government.

Under these circumstances, Akhilesh Yadav realised that it was right time to approach dalits with offer of dalit deepawali or providing helping hand through Baba Saheb Sena. The SP leader is making all efforts to get dividends in the coming assembly poll. (IPA Service)