Mayawati quitting Rajya Sabha over Dalit atrocities will give hope to BSP

Maywati's unexpected move of resigning from Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, has brought down the curtains prematurely on BJP's self-congratulatory show vis-a-vis Dalit politics. The saffron party, which had sensed a decisive advantage after fielding a Dalit candidate Ram Nath Kovind for President must have been jolted by Mayawati's resignation followed by her characteristic firebrand speech.

On July 18, when the House assembled to meet, it was just the second day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. Mayawati wanted to make a speech to highlight the recent atrocities against Dalits and minorities. The chair didn’t allow her to proceed with it and this made the Dalit leader and icon angry. Mayawati threatened to resign then and there and walked out of the House.

The Dalit leader has resigned from the Rajya Sabha. However, there is little possibility of her resignation being accepted because the Parliament has a rule that any such move by the sitting members must not be supported by explainers and elaborations, but just a line stating that they don’t want to continue as members of the House. The three-page document, which reads like a political speech, is technically not a resignation letter at all.

So, what is the motive behind the grand resignation? The three-page letter itself is an answer. Mayawati has killed many birds with one stone. A strong message has been sent that she, a member of the Upper House, was not allowed to speak about the humiliation and violence faced by Dalits.

This anger re-establishes Mayawati as the leader of Dalits. She has cleverly taken away the credit of the Saharanpur agitation from Bhim Army, a parallel Dalit group and projected herself as the heroine who is now sacrificing her Rajya Sabha membership over this issue as well as other Dalit atrocities.

Maya’s declaration may not seem like big news to the people of India's megacities but it is indeed a powerful statement to the core voters of the BSP. Mayawati, who has suffered political falls in the last three assembly and parliamentary elections, has understood that core voters are distancing themselves from the BSP just as sand slips from the hand.

This has been made worse by BJP’s move to front a Dalit as their choice for President of India. Ram Nath Kovind, from Mayawati's own Uttar Pradesh, is going to be the first north Indian Dalit to become President of India — this gives BJP the opportunity to penetrate into Dalit vote bank.

Mayawati has hit back at the BJP at a time when the party is overwhelmed with its political victory of making a Dalit the President. The BSP supremo, on the day of the Presidential election, said that no matter who wins, it is the monumental achievement of Ambedkar’s vision and his politics that has led to the day a Dalit is set to become the first citizen of India.

The very next day, Mayawati dealt a second blow to the BJP and "exposed" the ruling party's lack of seriousness in dealing with grave concerns related to Dalits. Her allegations are a clear message to fellow Dalits: choosing Ram Nath Kovind as the presidential candidate is merely BJP’s votebank politics and the ruling party is actually anti-Dalit. This charge on the BJP was followed by her resignation — the sacrifice of Rajya Sabha membership.

It makes two things evident: Mayawati knows that she has to be more aggressive before it is too late and her entire vote bank shifts to the BJP. She has taken the put the first step forward to save her vote bank. Secondly, it is crucial for her to highlight Dalit atrocities at the time the BJP is trying to show off as the biggest Dalit sympathiser.

Resignation is no loss to Mayawati. She came to the House in 2012. She has only nine months left as member of Rajya Sabha. The numbers are not in her favour. It is not easy for her to return to the Upper House. But taking on the BJP — for the Dalits — will help her gain support to secure a seat in the House.

Mayawati's political fort is falling. And she has no time left to make the last attempt at survival.

The BSP must opt the strategy of do or die for her voters are choosing other political alternatives.

Her colleagues too have chosen other alternatives. Strong Ambedkarites and ideologically committed soldiers have left her side and the party in last couple of years. The queen of Dalits has precious little left in the castle as well as outside.

The resignation is actually the first step in regaining her fort. It has to be followed by definitive action and active presence in public. Lalu Yadav’s comeback in Bihar is an example for her. Let’s see if she can follow suit.

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