Keeping up with UP: Why Mayawati continues to matter despite BSP’s loss of ground

IN her memoir, ‘Mere Sangharshmay Jeevan Evam Bahujan social movement Ka Safarnaama’, former Uttar Pradesh chief government minister Mayawati calls the Bahujan Samaj company (BSP) a symbolisation of the lordliness of the Bahujan Samaj, or Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and religious minorities constituting over 75% of the population. Mayawati quotes intellectuals and says she has attained a standing in Indian politics that her rivals can criticise or condemn her, but can never ignore her.Mayawati remains relevant, even as the BSP’s support base has eroded significantly. The BSP won just one seat in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly in 2022. The BSP has no seats in Parliament. But Mayawati remains the pre-eminent Dalit leader, specifically of Jatavs, who are expected to play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the 2027 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Dalits account for 21% of the state’s population and have hundreds of subcastes, with Jatavs being the largest group.Opponents try to keep Mayawati in good humour, given her hold over a crucial vote bank. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) avoids criticising her. The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress continue to seek cordial relations. Mayawati does not spare the Opposition, and remains soft on the BJP, as the parties intensify efforts to attract Dalit votes in the run-up to the 2027 elections.Ambedkar Jayanti, marking the birth anniversary of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar on April 14, is the day for political parties to show their commitment to Dalits. But symbolic gestures often remind Dalits of their status on the day they want to celebrate and assert their identity with pride.April is the most auspicious month for Dalits as they remember Ambedkar. Their sentiment is, “We exist and live a life of dignity because of him.” Ambedkar Jayanti is a festival for them like Diwali and Holi. Celebrations are held from Parliament to villages and involve seminars, lighting of lamps in homes, distribution of sweets, and processions. These celebrations have increased in grandeur and participation. They are held on campuses and villages, cutting across classes, rich and poor, literate and illiterate, young and old.Bhimwadi, or songs dedicated to Ambedkar, include ‘Saiyan Neela Sadi Laida, Jaongi Sansad Mele Mein’ (Get me a blue saree as I will go to the fair in Parliament) and ‘Kab Tak Rehbaa Ghulam Mere Bahujan’ (till when would you remain a slave) are played across the state throughout April.In western Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur, women hold candlelight processions, which culminate at Ambedkar’s statues. Other castes and communities have started celebrating Ambedkar, as awareness about his contribution has increased in recent years.Dalits want more than just lip service as quotas remain their major concerns. They have been demanding the inclusion of reservations in the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule to protect them from judicial review, the introduction of quotas in the private sector, the army, and a stricter law to end discrimination and violence.The Kalyan Singh-led BJP government’s attempt to dilute the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the then chief minister Mulayam’s move to rescind quotas in promotions continue to cast a long shadow, making Dalits wary of overtures. They fear constitutional changes that could deprive them of quotas. But BSP’s loss of ground has also prompted them to look for options.Meanwhile, a literary movement that contributed to the Dalit political empowerment has also started fading. In the 1980s, a silent literary revolution swept northern India, belying the common perception that Dalits are downtrodden and illiterate. This revolution gave voice to Dalits and made them a political force to reckon with.As many as 1,500 Dalit writers have, since the 1980s, written popular books and booklets. Dalit publishers have mushroomed. The books and booklets priced from ₹2 to ₹50 have been in constant demand. The writers range from former governors to bureaucrats and professionals.Guru Prasad Madan, an advocate and social activist who has authored several booklets, said the Dalit literature is about freedom of thought, equality, justice, and brotherhood. BSP founder Kanshi Ram wrote booklets, which he read out to the masses in Pune. Mayawati has written three volumes on the Bahujan movement and her own struggle, contributing to political awareness among Dalits that makes it harder for political parties to take them for granted.