There is realisation in the BSP that Brahmins, who were instrumental in bringing the BSP to power in May 2007, were drifting away from the party.

The below-par performance of the BSP in the Lok Sabha elections and voting pattern in all the by-elections held since 2007 have also confirmed the fact that the Brahmins, who constitute nine per cent of the total population in the state, were not voting for BSP candidates.

There was a debate in the BSP after the Lok Sabha polls that too much prominence to Brahmins in the party organisation and a share in power had antagonised Mayawati's core Dalit constituency.

For so many decades, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati had prepared the Dalit voters to fight against upper castes, especially Brahmins, Thakurs and the Baniyas.

When Mayawati came up with the social engineering formula in the May 2007 assembly elections, she gave a large number of tickets to people belonging to the upper castes, especially Brahmins, Thakurs and Vaishyas.

When the BSP came to power in the State in May 2007, political commentators attributed the success to social engineering pursued by the BSP on the advice of Mr. Satish Chandra Mishra, who was the Brahmin face of the party enjoying number two position in the organisation.

But poor performance of the BSP in the Lok Sabha elections and the drift of Brahmin votes and lack of enthusiasm among Dalit voters for BSP candidates made the party leaders realise that the mandate given in May 2007 was nothing but the expression of people's disapproval of the misrule of Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

Since Mayawati was able to give the impression that she would be able to control law and order and send Mulayam and Amar Singh to jai, people belonging to all castes voted for the BSP. There was no social engineering as claimed by political commentators.

In order to consolidate her hold on Dalit voters, the BSP supremo not only organised a rally of party workers but also made it clear that she was returning to the Dalit agenda. During her two-hour speech at the March 15 rally, Mayawati said she would fight for Dalit pride and would not compromise on their dignity and honour. She also complimented her Dalit voters for always being supportive in times of crisis and for abiding by her directives.

Mayawati defended the expenditure on memorials for Dalit icons and statutes of late Kanshi Ram and herself. She claimed that only one per cent of the budget was spent on memorials and statutes. She informed the people at the rally, mainly Dalits drawn from all over the state, that she was only implementing the last wishes of Kanshi Ram on memorials and statues.

Significantly, Mayawati was presented a garland made of currency notes of Rs 100 denomination worth several crores. There was realisation in the party that her core Dalit voters would be happy to see their leader being presented such garlands.

Mayawati also made it clear to her Dalit voters that she had decided to marginalise the Brahmins. That was why she repeatedly announced that Mr Satish Chandra Mishra would only look after legal cases as he has been made head of the newly-constituted legal cell of the party.

Mr. Mishra, who till now was enjoying the number two position in the party, had no role in the rally. Unlike the previous occasions, Mr Satish Chandra Mishra was not allowed to address the rally. Nor were there any posters in support of Brahmins.

Mayawati also removed important Brahmin bureaucrats from her secretariat, considered to be close to Mr. Satish Chandra Mishra. At one stroke, she removed 100 Brahmin counsels appointed by her government.

She appointed Dalit officers in her own secretariat and given prominence to Dalit IAS and IPS officers while appointing commissioners and DIG range in the state.

Since Brahmins play an important role in opinion-making, there is tussle between the Congress and the BJP to win over the community, which wields influence in as many as 60 assembly constituencies of the State.

Traditionally, Brahmins had been voting for the Congress. But they shifted allegiance to the BJP during the Ram temple movement. . Majority of Brahmins also voted for Mayawati as they were fed up with the misrule of Mulayam government. Now, Brahmins are returning to the Congress as was evident from the success of the party in 22 out of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. (IPA)