What does Mayawati’s move to not ally with the Congress before assembly elections in Rajasthan and MP signify?
Just a week ago, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati made it clear that her party would contest the assembly elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh all alone without allying with the Congress party. She even accused the Congress of being arrogant.
According to reports, the major reason behind Mayawati dumping the Congress just before the assembly elections is the disagreement with Congress over the distribution of seats in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The top leadership of Congress party in both Rajasthan and MP were said to be displeased with the BSP’s demand of the disproportionate number of seats despite having very low vote share. Some political analysts also sense it as the lack of trust amongst smaller parties about the winnablitiy of Congress party in the elections.
No matter whatever may be the reasons behind the dissatisfaction of Mayawati, a four time Chief Minister of India’s most politcally significant state; this is undoubtedly a major setback for not only Congress Party but also for the politcal strength of much touted Mahagadhbandhan (Grand alliance) before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Despite losing its poltical charm, the BSP has still good hold over the dalit voters in some of the states of Hindi hinterland, though not sufficient enough to come to power on its own; therefore it plays a very significant role as the Kingmaker deeply affecting the electoral equations in various states at both state and national level.
In an interview at the Hindustan Times Summit a couple of days ago, on being asked about Mayawati distancing from the Congress, the Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that both the state assembly and Lok Sabha elections were two different things and that Congress would not be damaged Mayawati ji’s decision to contest the election without forming an alliance with the Congress. But he didn’t rule out the possibility of allaiance with the BSP in the 2019 general elections. It suggests that he very well understands the electoral significance of having BSP as the electoral partner in the elections.
The only benificery of this entire political unpheaval is none other than the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party. There in no denial in the fact that Congress and BSP have been aways the top preference for most of the dalit voter over the decades, but it will definitely give the electoral mileage to the BJP with both the Congress and BSP contesting the elections separetly. Though the mood of the voters is pretty unpredictable which no body can be hundred percent assue of as to which side it will tilt, therefore the outcome of the elections remain a debatable question; nonethelss such electoral setting before the election does play a significant role.
Currently, I am pursuing B.A(H) Political science from Satyawati College, Delhi University.
I like public speaking, writing and reading in my leisure.
