It is the return of social engineering in Uttar Pradesh and this phenomenon was the single biggest factor that led to a reduced margin win for the BJP.
Narendra Modi juggernaut had been halted before reaching 300 mark whereas an 'over confident' BJP had put the stakes high by insisting repeatedly that they can win 400 plus with their NDA allies.
Some years back, precisely in 2007 -- Mayawati had risen in UP politics by her social engineering card -- that meant a dynamic mix of Dalits and Brahmins.
The BJP tried that successfully in 2014. It got the benefits in 2019 also and this time the table was turned.
Akhilesh Yadav kept his focus on M - the Muslim factor. But left Y - the Yadav factor to a minimum.
He gave tickets to only five Yadavs (all from his own family) in the Samajwadi Party's list of 62 candidates.
There were heart burns and whispering. But he kept his cool. This episode marks the emergence of a superb politician in Akhilesh -- something many other national leaders including in the Opposition camp will be worried about.
His dad - Late Mulayam Singh Yadav - was a fine ear-on-ground politician. Akhilesh was often dismissed as a dynast -- a chocolate cream second generation leader -- but he played a superb innings this time.
In his list of 62 candidates were 10 Kurmis and 7 Kushwaha-Maurya-Shakya-Saini (castes considered close to the BJP for several years).
He also Shyamlal Pal, an OBC, as state party president during the polls. This worked in favour of the SP.
Its decision to field Dalits from Meerut and Faizabad (Ayodhya) proved near fatal for the BJP and had shaken ground underneath the feet of incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Akhilesh on March 14th, 2012 was sworn in as the youngest UP chief minister. But all that under his father's blessings and his stint as Chief Minister was not anu remarkable tenure.
But this time and the scale of success and that too on the backdrop of Ram temple inauguration shows -- Akhilesh Yadav is now a self-made leader ably supported by wife Dimple Yadav -- who is also now again an elected lawmaker from Mainpuri.
In 2012 --- Akhilesh was considered a next door neighbour with infectious smile.
The former Chief Minister represented a new paradigm shift in North India’s politics which for long rested on caste, religion and goondaism. His best trump card, observers said in 2012 and not without good reason, was his humility.
Old timers would recall :
"Since 2009, when he was made UP unit president, Akhilesh choreographed his party’s election strategy revolving around the theme of ‘Roti, Kapada sasti Ho and Dawai Pani Muft Ho’ (People should get cheap bread and butter and water and medicine free)."
He had also taken to the streets by organising state-wide agitation against Mayawati’s misrule and was also arrested on March 9, 2011 Amasui airport in Lucknow.
Both he and the politics of Uttar Pradesh have come a long way. !!
 |
| Blogger's interview - AKhilesh |
Why BJP went so wrong?
ends
What a funny situation that party with less than 100 seats feeling winner and party with around 250 seats feeling lost.
ReplyDeleteIt's victory of BJP and its policies.
It's time to continue this work in Bharat and across the world.
-- M Mohan