NEW DELHI, 12 May 2007 — Three times chief minister Mayawati yesterday steered the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to a spectacular victory in Uttar Pradesh polls, gaining a narrow majority in the 403-seat assembly.
Having transformed the once exclusively Dalit BSP to one wooing all social classes, Mayawati, 51, was set to rule the politically key state on her own with after her party won 208 seats. It is the first time since 1991 that any party has won a majority in Uttar Pradesh.
Though Mayawati entered politics as a Dalit leader; she has won the assembly elections by securing support of upper caste Hindus, Muslims and weaker sections of the Hindu community. the Samajwadi Party won 96 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to secure 49, Congress 21 and others 23. As BSP members celebrated, gloom descended on the offices of other parties.
As soon as the results became clear, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav submitted his resignation as UP chief minister to state Gov. T.V. Rajeshwar. However, the governor asked Mulayam to continue till the new government takes office.
Mayawati is all set to take over as UP chief minister for the fourth time. On her previous occasions as chief minister, Mayawati headed coalitions. This time round she does not need the support of other parties. The current election has also been Mayawati’s first major test following the death of Kanshi Ram, BSP founder.
Mayawati has been able to win convincingly in UP due to an alliance reached with Brahmins, Dalits and Muslims. The support of Brahmins (upper caste Hindus) for the BSP in UP, previously assumed to be a strong BJP base, has pushed the BJP to third position. Likewise, the Muslim vote, earlier held by Mulayam, has displayed a decisive inclination toward the BSP. All of Rahul Gandhi’s campaigning has not spelt any major gain for his party.
On the BSP’s stunning performance, General Secretary Satish Chandra Misra said: “We always maintained that the BSP would remain far ahead of others, but somehow the media and pollsters were not willing to believe that.”
