July 18 was a big day for the country’s upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In Bengaluru, 26 opposition parties announced an alliance named India. Its full name has been kept as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
A little later, the BJP presented a glimpse of the picture of the NDA alliance for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi. While the opposition has a total strength of 26 parties, 38 parties were involved in the BJP meeting.
Almost all small regional parties were with the NDA. Mathematically, a total of 66 parties have made their stand clear whether they will contest with India or with the NDA in the coming elections. But some big parties have stayed away from both the camps.
The name of Mayawati’s BSP is also included in the party staying away from the opposition alliance India. The question is, why has Mayawati distanced herself from ‘India’, does she intend to go with BJP, or does she want to harm by contesting elections alone, but to whom?
Mayawati in defense of BJP, what is the signal?
BSP supremo Mayawati kept herself away from the opposition meetings this time. Mayawati has clearly said that she will not be a part of this alliance, along with this she has announced to contest the Lok Sabha elections alone.
Even though Mayawati is talking about contesting the Lok Sabha elections alone, keeping distance from the opposition, but she has also openly come to the rescue of the central government. Even before this, after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he has supported the government on many issues.
Senior journalist Om Prakash Ashk told ABP News that till now it is not clear whether Mayawati will go with BJP. It is definitely clear that he is not with the opposition alliance. Mayawati not joining any party will harm both the parties.
Ashk says that a major shortcoming of both the parties is that most of the parties in alliance with them do not have any mass base. They do not have a single member in the Lok Sabha. The clear meaning of these alliances is that even one to two percent votes in small areas should be brought in their favor. But this experiment has failed because the parties having vote share are largely not in both the parties. An example of this is Mayawati’s party BSP.
Ashk said that the opposition alliance has made the first and biggest mistake by leaving Mayawati, Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu. All these have been such leaders who have ruled their respective states. Their influence will harm the entire opposition if they do not join the opposition alliance.
Ashk said that the biggest loss to the opposition would be in UP. Mayawati is the leader of Dalits. He has as much influence in the Dalits of UP. The vote percentage of BSP is close to 13 percent in UP. When the BJP is bringing the parties with 1 per cent vote bank in its fold, then how can the alliance of opposition parties leave behind the BSP which has 10 per cent more vote bank.
Can Mayawati go with BJP?
Senior journalist Om Saini told ABP News that Mayawati has run the government with NDA in UP. That’s why it should be assumed that Mayawati’s mind can meet with NDA. Mayawati can definitely think that when Draupadi Murmu can be made the President then why not her. BJP will also benefit by coming together with Mayawati because the total Dalit population in the country is 18-20 percent. BJP would like to cultivate these communities.
On one hand, other opposition parties, including the Congress, had demanded that the new Parliament House be inaugurated by President Draupadi Murmu. BSP supremo Mayawati inaugurates new Parliament building Prime Minister Narendra Modi Had supported getting it done.
He said that the new building of Parliament has been constructed by the government, so the Prime Minister has every right to inaugurate it as well. Mayawati the President Draupadi Murmu From new parliament building Also disagreed with the demand for the inauguration of BSP supremo Mayawati has openly come to the rescue of the central government, keeping distance from the opposition. Saini said that definitely both are seeing their benefits from now on.
Will this prove to be beneficial politics for Mayawati?
Mayawati has formed her government thrice with the support of BJP. In the years 1995, 1997 and 2002, his government was formed with the support of the BJP, although BJP did the work of toppling his government three times. During this, BSP also registered partial success in many Hindi-speaking states. Creating new social equations, in the 2007 assembly elections, BSP formed the government for the first time by securing full majority, which lasted for five years. After 2007, the base of BSP kept shrinking continuously. He got only one seat in the 2022 assembly elections. The vote back of the Dalits and OBCs that the BSP snatched from the Congress is now with the BJP.
Many things are also evident from Mayawati’s recent statements. Mayawati is now seen to be getting rid of political slogans as well. Once upon a time, with the help of these slogans, she became the top leader of Dalits and extremely backward classes i.e. Bahujan Samaj in North India.
Senior journalist Om Prakash Ashk told ABP News that forging an alliance with BJP would not be a new thing for Mayawati. The way she is defending herself from the old slogan can be a hint towards this.
Mayawati’s political power, can weaken the opposition?
BSP chief Mayawati is the biggest Dalit leader in the country, it is also true that her political base is continuously shrinking. Mayawati in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections Fought together with SP in UP. BSP had fielded 351 candidates across the country, but they won only in UP. However, at one time BSP has been winning in Haryana, Punjab and MP outside UP.
A large part of BSP’s Dalit vote bank has gone scattered, some with BJP and some with other parties. Mayawati still has close to 13 per cent votes in UP. He has a political base among the Dalit community in other states as well. BSP also has 10 Lok Sabha MPs now.
Will the opposition be harmed because of the BSP on these seats in 2024?
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won 10 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. These 10 seats include Ambedkar Nagar, Amroha, Bijnor, Ghazipur, Ghoshi, Jaunpur, Lalganj, Nagina, Saharanpur, and Shravasti. According to the Election Commission report, the total vote share of BSP in Uttar Pradesh is 12.77 percent. Apart from UP, the BSP has influence on voters in some areas in the neighboring states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan.
According to the Election Commission report, the total vote share of BSP in Uttarakhand is 4.70 percent. Punjab has 1.88 percent.
On the other hand, before the 2019 elections in Haryana, there was an alliance between INLD and BSP. INLD got the status of recognized party only after contesting elections in alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party. In February 1998, INLD got four seats and BSP one seat in Haryana in the elections for the 12th Lok Sabha.
Om Prakash Ashk said that wherever there is vote share of BSP, if any decree is issued at the level of supremo before the elections, then his supporters will obey it. Mayawati may not have ruled Madhya Pradesh or Bihar, but she has a section of supporters, Mayawati’s candidates have been winning in Bihar as well. In this situation NDA or opposition should bring Mayawati with them. Against whom Mayawati went, will definitely cause harm.
