The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh has decided to put its dalit agenda on hold and return to its dalit-brahmin formula that had catapulted it to power in 2007.
The party has now appointed former minister Anant Misra as cocoordinator of Brahmin Bhaichara Committee and he has bee entrusted the responsibility of consolidating brahmin presence in the party in Kanpur, Agra and Aligarh divisions. Mr Misra has been asked to focus on dalit-dominated seats where brahmin support could tilt the scales in favour of BSP.
In the 2007 polls, the BSP had won 61 of the 89 reserved seats in the state, mainly due to support of upper caste vote banks. Mr Misra’s appoi-ntment as cocoordinator is significant since he had been asked to resign from his ministerial post in April following the NRHM scam and the murders of CMOs in the state capital.
Mr Misra, who held the health portfolio, is closely related to BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Misra and his removal had sent out a clear signal that brahmins could no longer boast of a privileged position in the party. Mr Misra’s appointment is now designed to tell the brahmins that the party continues to welcome the community with open arms. According to a senior party functionary, the decision of win back brahmins has been taken following reports of disillusionment seeping in among dalits in regard to the Mayawati government.
“We cannot take any chances in the Assembly polls which are extremely crucial for us. We are trying to strengthen our base among Brahmins so that if there is any depletion in any other vote bank, the party will not suffer losses,’ he said.