Maharashtra is under the lens of Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati. Even though the party was able to increase its units across the state, BSP was not able to gain electoral victories in the parliamentary and assembly elections held in 2009.
However, BSP has taken a calculated decision to increase its presence in the state by taking on the ruling Congress-NCP alliance as well as opposition Shiv Sena-BJP combine which has recently joined hands with the dalit dominated Republican Party of India (RPI)(Athavale). BSP has worked out a comprehensive strategy for its consolidation during the ensuing elections to 10 municipal corporations, 200 municipalities and 27 zilla parishad during November and February next year.
As a beginning, BSP has organised a two-day visit of Mayawati from June 25 in Mumbai. The occasion is inauguration of party's flush office in the north east Mumbai and a public rally. Mayawati's visit comes close heels of the Congress party’s decision to observe current year as social equality year while Nationalist Congress Party held a well attended rally on its 12th anniversary to observe it a social justice day. Further, saffron Shiv Sena-BJP and RPI have struck alliance to checkmate Congress-NCP by luring all sections including backward class ahead of 2014 assembly elections.
Mayawati led BSP, which had bagged nine per cent votes in the Congress party’s traditional bastion Vidarbha, would not only tighten its grip in that region but also reach out dalits and non dalits in other regions too. BSP state unit chief Vilas Garud told Business Standard, “All parties are opposed BSP's growth in Maharashtra and they make all efforts in this regard. However, BSP will grow from strength to strength and go stronger in the days to come. BSP is the sole party to follow Babasaheb Ambedkar’s philosophy and it will succeed in the mobilisation of necessary support not only from the dalits and other backward classes but also from other sections too in the state.”
He termed the alliance between Shiv Sena-BJP combine and RPI (Athavale) as opportunistic and it would not succeed in the mobilisation of support especially from dalits. “RPI chief Ramdas Athavale does not enjoy statewide support and dalits have not extended their support to his move to strike a deal with saffron alliance. BSP can provide a strong alternative,” he added.
