Churning apace in UP political firmament

Post-NDA Cabinet rejig, all parties get into election mode

“The need to bring in doers and performers who would deliver on the Prime Minister's promise of good governance” having been completed on Tuesday, the BJP-led NDA has signalled its preparedness to take on the Opposition in the key Assembly elections in UP next year. It should be noted that both the major players the BJP and the Congress have wasted no time in joining the race along with the SP and the BSP which have begun their preparations well ahead of others.

Today's Cabinet reshuffle not only brought Modi's best foot forward but also has strengthened the party's core in UP, party sources feel. It should be borne in mind here that the BJP is not only banking on the Brahmin votes just as it did in the past in UP but is quite serious about drawing as much of the Dalit and OBC vote in the State to its fold.

Its leadership is already in touch with Swami Prasad Maurya who quit the BSP over differences with Mayavati but also another senior Pasi leader, R K Chaudhury, the BSP's tallest Pasi face. The BSP's troubles have not been confined to the quitting of these two but there seems to be a serious rift among the senior leaders associated with the party since Kanshi Ram and who were his close confidantes.

Leaders such as Daddu Prasad, Yugal Kishore, Rajbahadur, Masud Azahar and Dinnath Bhaskar etc have already walked out of the party in the past. While some of these are contemplating forming an alternative front to the BSP, some like Yugal Kishore have already joined the BJP.

Today's Cabinet rejig which took the total berths gone to UP to 13 has already led to celebrations in UP. The task ahead of these Ministers is to convince the voters that in an essential triangular contest among BJP-BSP-SP, there could be a definite advantage if the Brahmins join hands with the Dalits and non-Yadav OBCs.

Similarly, the Congress too has wasted no time in lining up its forces having inducted the services of Prashant Kishore, the political strategist who earlier helped Nitish in Bihar and Modi in Gujarat, to come back/retain power. In a move "that could have far-reaching effect in UP politics,” the Congress high command has finally decided to field charismatic Priyanka Wadra without confining her to Amethi-Rae Baraeli belt.

In addition it has now decided to project Sheila Dixit, former Delhi Chief Minister, as its CM face hoping that this "UP Brahmin Bahu" could tilt the Brahmin voters back to the party again. While, the party could be right to some extent in weaning away Brahmin vote in some pockets with these names, there is little to suggest that it would stage any major upset on its own and without the support of any regional party.

The Congress plan has its own pitfalls as, though the cadres love to have Priyanka campaigning all over, focusing on Sheila Dixit alongside could go against the raison d e'tre of projecting Priyanka. This plan is of course that of Prashant and it is not yet clear whether this would have Rahul Gandhi's sanction. The party is hesitant so far to make its plans public in the absence of Rahul, who is vacationing abroad.

The BSP supremo, Mayavati, was in fact the first one in the State to get into an election-mode touring the State and meeting her followers. The deteriorating law and order in UP has come in handy for her to woo voters back to her fold. She is leaving no stone unturned in reminding people the firm grip she had on administration and in controlling anti-social elements. She has already apologised to people for concentrating on mega parks and building symbols in the past.

On the other hand, the SP is a troubled house today with young Akhilesh facing problems from his own family members. Reports suggest that the differences between the uncles and the nephew have become irreconcilable. Both the BSP and the SP could be publicly posturing today that they would be going alone, but the electoral calculus would certainly demand a rethink soon.

By W Chandrakanth