By-elections are to be held on 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. Most of the seats have become vacant due to the MLAs reaching the Parliament after winning the Lok Sabha elections. The way all the political parties are preparing for by-elections, this is seen only in general elections or assembly elections.
In fact, the importance of by-elections has increased due to the results of the Lok Sabha elections. The ruling BJP is trying to ensure victory on all seats under any circumstances. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav is faced with the challenge of maintaining his performance in the Lok Sabha elections as far as possible. BSP leader Mayawati has also announced to contest elections on all 10 seats – and in such a situation the contest is bound to be interesting.
Recently, Mayawati has objected to the Supreme Court’s decision regarding sub-category in SC/ST quota – however, BSP’s National Coordinator Akash Anand has attacked BJP and Congress regarding reservation.
What is in Mayawati’s mind?
It is understandable for BJP, Samajwadi Party and Congress to be active in the by-elections, but the increased enthusiasm of BSP leader Mayawati seems a bit surprising. Mayawati has been against contesting by-elections from the beginning, but after the 2012 election defeat, she was not seen at all in favor of contesting by-elections. Mayawati’s opinion regarding by-elections was also revealed once. In Mayawati’s view, the results of by-elections often come in favor of the ruling party.
However, in the last several years it has been seen that political parties lose by-elections despite being in power, and this has happened with BJP in many states too – but the UP by-election has become a question of prestige for BJP. . Especially Milkipur assembly seat of Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given all his strength to win Milkipur.
Rest of the things are in place, but it is important to understand why Mayawati is so serious about the by-elections – is she contesting the by-elections on all the seats to install her nephew Akash Anand or is Akhilesh Yadav looking for someone in her own style? Want to teach a lesson?
At the BSP office in Lucknow, Mayawati had called a meeting with all senior officials, including district heads and other officials regarding the by-elections. Mayawati reviewed the ground preparations to ensure better results in favor of BSP in the by-elections to be held on the assembly seats – and issued an order to contest all the 10 seats with full force.
Mayawati said, the by-election dates have not been officially announced yet, but the excitement is continuously increasing. Mayawati said that people’s interest in the by-elections has increased because the ruling BJP government in the state has made the by-elections a question of prestige.
The big question is whether Mayawati is getting the preparations done for the by-elections just so that the strength of the leaders and workers does not get compromised, or is there some other motive? After all, what is really going on in Mayawati’s mind regarding the by-elections?
Right now it seems as if after the Supreme Court’s order on quota, Mayawati is hopeful of attracting the voters who are drifting away from her side. Mayawati says that after the decision of the Supreme Court, if BJP is in power at the Centre, it will abolish the reservation quota whenever it wants.
After the Supreme Court’s decision, Mayawati has asked BSP workers to set up chaupals in every village. People from Dalit and tribal communities will be invited to the Chaupal – and an attempt will be made to explain how political conspiracies are going on to kill the SC-ST sections.
What benefit will Akash Anand get?
Like Mayawati, after the Supreme Court’s decision, Akash Anand is also trying to convince the Dalit community of his point of view. Akash Anand says, on one side there is BJP, whose target is the movement of Honorable Kanshi Ram Saheb, on the other side there is Congress, which has always hated Baba Saheb – both these parties follow the same casteist mentality.
Akash Anand warns people, these people have been trying to twist the reservation and the Constitution in various ways for their own benefit… A huge conspiracy is taking place in the country… which will destroy Baba Saheb’s movement. Losses are being made… It is very important to be politically aware… That is why respected sister has repeatedly said that we should not get misled by these parties.
Akash Anand’s activism shows that BSP has understood the urgency of the situation, and the leadership feels that the issue of reservation can be capitalized on this pretext. By making SC-ST reservation an issue in the by-elections, at least some benefit can be gained – it may not be much benefit, but for Akash Anand, it can definitely provide benefit like a practice match.
Are there any preparations for revenge against SP-Congress?
If we look at the results of the recent Lok Sabha elections, it is natural for Mayawati to be worried about the way Dalit voters have turned their backs on BSP. In the Lok Sabha elections, the inclination of Dalit voters was seen towards the SP-Congress alliance. Similarly, it was seen on the side of BJP in the 2022 UP Assembly elections. The situation has become such that BSP, which once got more than 20 percent votes, has come down to less than 10 percent.
Mayawati does not regret Dalit voters going to BJP’s side as much as she does not regret Dalit voters going to Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav. Just as earlier Mayawati used to get angry at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, now she is behaving in the same way with Akhilesh Yadav.
Mayawati may be feeling that by explaining to the Dalits the meaning of the quota in her own way, she will be able to unite her people with her again. One result of Mayawati’s revenge against SP and Congress in UP is that BJP gets direct benefit, and this ritual is being carried out since 2022 – who knows, preparations for by-elections may also be a part of the same campaign.
But this mission will be considered successful only when the BJP, upset with the defeat in Ayodhya, wins Milkypur also with the help of Mayawati’s behind-the-scenes – this will remain a mystery till the results are declared.