The symbolism of Yadav chieftains bending before Mayawati could alter the future of politics in UP and Bihar.
The image of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav’s heir apparent Tejashwi bending and touching Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati’s feet is one for the albums.
After Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, his Bihari counterpart too bowed to the Dalit queen of Indian politics. This could have far-reaching repercussions.
Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav are both older than Mayawati. The relative youth of Akhilesh and Tejashwi allows them to treat Mayawati with the respect accorded to an older person. Akhilesh gave her the moniker of Bua – paternal aunt – long before he usurped his father’s throne.
And yes, it matters that Lalu Yadav’s political career is over, insofar as Tejashwi building a bridge with Mayawati, making her his Bua too. But make no mistake: age is just a number, age is just an excuse.
Also read: The SP-BSP alliance in UP is rare, formidable and perfect
Yadav Raj
The generational change in the Yadav parties of UP and Bihar comes with a historical challenge. Both the RJD and the SP thrive on a Yadav vote bank that will always keep them relevant.
Yet, the brash, assertive, dominant Yadavs of the Gangetic plains alienate others so much that nobody wants to vote for and with them.
The only exception is Muslims, who have no choice except to give in to the secular blackmail. The M-Y vote is not enough, and in any case, the Muslim vote often gets divided among other claimants such as the BSP, the Congress or Nitish Kumar’s JD(U).
But the M-Y vote is not enough numerically to make Akhilesh or Tejashwi chief minister.
Yadav Raj in Uttar Pradesh has been synonymous with Goonda Raj, and Jungle Raj in Bihar. Both Akhilesh and Tejashwi present a new face, a new and softer image of their parties. Akhilesh has already delivered on it: getting rid of his father, his much-maligned uncle Shivpal Yadav, getting rid of all kinds of goonda politicians even at the cost of votes, such as Atiq Ahmed in Allahabad.
It’s easier for them to change themselves, even their party workers, but who will tame the Yadavs? You could be standing at a village square in UP or Bihar, talking to a group of farmers or manual labourers of castes lower than Yadavs in the hierarchy, and suddenly a Yadav will arrive, say something brash like a bully, and run away.
Yadavs are to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) what Thakurs are to upper castes. And when their party is in power, they make sure everybody hates them.
Lalu Yadav in his day kept Kanshi Ram away from Bihar, hoping to conquer the Dalit vote by himself. And Mulayam Singh Yadav is seen as the symbol of Yadav oppression of Dalits, thanks to the infamous guest house incident where Yadav goons tried to assault Mayawati.
A Yadav alliance with Mayawati is the sort of radical move that has the potential to change the course of politics in the two states.
Also read: Lalu Yadav’s sons locked in family feud, leave RJD leaders fretting
Out of the M-Y box
On the face of it, Akhilesh Yadav’s alliance with Mayawati is only a strategic electoral alliance to prevent the division of anti-BJP votes. One the face of it, Tejashwi Yadav only wants Mayawati’s endorsement so he could woo Bihar’s 5 per cent Jatav population – the same Dalit sub-caste as Mayawati’s. In exchange, the RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar is likely to leave one seat for Mayawati’s BSP.
The bargaining is not for 2019 alone. Akhilesh Yadav has already said his alliance with the BSP is to continue into the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. It’s unlikely the BJP is going to lose its grip over the populous non-Yadav OBCs in Uttar Pradesh, so Akhilesh Yadav needs Mayawati’s Dalit vote bank to be in the treasury benches.
Both Tejashwi and Akhilesh are in desperate need of some votes more than just the M-Y votes. If Yadavs alienate other castes, Muslims polarise the Hindutva voter. The SP in UP and the RJD in Bihar are both thus boxed in.
Mayawati is the ticket to get out of this box.
Stooping to conquer
Bending before Mayawati helps the Yadavs project a softer image of themselves and their parties before all castes and communities. Akhilesh Yadav was clear in his press conference: any insult to Mayawati is an insult to Akhilesh.
The message was as much a command as a warning to his Yadav workers and voters.
If you are a Dalit voter in UP or Bihar, it is impossible to not be impressed with Akhilesh and Tejashwi’s submission before Mayawati. The two Yadav chieftains could grow in their political appeal beyond M-Y communities through their association with Mayawati, especially if this association succeeds over the next few years.
This could, in the long run, help them woo castes and communities who feel threatened by the M-Y combination.
Akhilesh Yadav agrees to visit Mayawati in a car sent by her. He says he’s willing to contest fewer seats but Behenji is generous enough to make it an equal fight.
Also read:Tejashwi Yadav & Akhilesh meet in Lucknow — try and pull off what their fathers couldn’t
He thanks her twice for the alliance but despite having zero seats in the Lok Sabha, she doesn’t feel the need to thank him. She speaks at length, she gives out the details, she leads the charge. The humble nephew merely endorses.
He even has her insult his estranged uncle Shivpal before him as a BJP stooge. At long last, the Dalit queen of Indian politics has tamed the brash Yadavs.
In the months and perhaps years to come, we could see more of this. The Dalit queen rises in stature as the Yadavs bend before her.
And the Yadavs stoop to conquer.
Mayawati ka Ashiwrad liya.. kiss do takke ke Brahmin Bhikshu Bhikariyon ke aage nahin jhuke.. yeh Bhikshus yaani ki beggars Brahmins ne Yadavs ke naam pe khoob bheek maangi hai after all they begged in the name of Yadav God Krishna … Saare Brahmin asli hierarchy wise Yadavs ke aaage bhikari Hain.. samjha??
We still need to see where Mayawati is going to perform. At best her antics will lose her seats. If Kamal Nath has to be believed – she had outlandish demands in Madhya Pradesh. Her poor sense has lost her incredibly in Chattisgarh. So one wonders what this article is all about. Since the poor are largely related to the land – the Communists could erode Mayawati base quite a bit if they were coordinated and present over extended periods of time – or they had thinkers and speakers like Kanhaiya Kumar.
While thw writer makes a compelling argument, it is to be seen who are these Yadav chieftains up against. While Akhilesh Yadav has had administrative experience and is up against Yogi who has a firebrand image and alienates moderates. Tejashwi has had little administrative experience, has been chargesheeted in corruption cases and is up against a formidable tie up of BJP-JDU-LJP with the untainted Sushashan Babu Nitish Kumar as the face. The task for Tejashwi is much more difficult than Akhilesh. Dalits in Bihar (a total of 16%), 5% Paswans have considered LJP Chief Ramvilas Paswan as their undisputed leader since 1990s. Out of the rest 11%, barring 1% of the Musahars who have some soft corner for Manjhi, almost 10% of Mahadalits consider Nitish their leader. He has started numerous schemes for their welfare as is truly committed for their cause. This is evident by the majority of this bloc voting for jdu in 2014 lok sabha polls.
This article has hardly any substance.The writer appears to be biased against Yadavas.He tends to follow ModiJi blindly.He is not aware of ground reality.He has termed SP and RJD regime as Funds Raj ,a rhetoric of Good Media whereas law and order position has gone from bad to worse in BJP regime.Mob lynching was never heard of earlier.Constitutional institutions are in shambles.Economy adversely affected.Rupees has touched it’s lowest level against dollar.
So change is the need of hour.
Akhilesh and Tejashwi are better suited to the times we live in than their rough diamond fathers. Netaji and Laluji can feel proud of them. If the lady likes a little pampering, no harm.