It’s Mayajaal on Yadav turfs to swing Samajwadi Party votes

LUCKNOW: A majority of 11 joint rallies being addressed by the BSP-SP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh are scheduled to be held in the sprawling Yadav backyard of west UP. And BSP chief Mayawati will end up campaigning in seats where Yadav clan members are contesting, including SP president Akhilesh, his wife Dimple, father Mulayam and cousins Dharmendra and Akshay.


The rallies will straddle 30 parliamentary constituencies. And of these 9 rallies will be held in SP strongholds while two are with RLD. Sources in BSP say this is not a giveaway, but a strategy hammered out after much thought. “BSP is confident of transferring votes to SP, but Mayawati needs a return gesture. So, the joint rallies will send out a message to the core Yadav votebank that support should be reciprocated in constituencies where BSP fielded its candidates,” said a senior party member. With the election being seen as a final push by Mayawati to remain politically relevant, it is not surprising her party members say she is willing to do whatever it takes to make the alliance a success. “It does not matter the alliance is addressing more rallies on SP turf as against BSP seats. The motive is to win this election and Mayawati is willing to run the extra mile,” said a member of her party.

After the first rally in Saharanpur’s Deoband, other mega joint rallies will be held on April 19 at Mainpuri, where SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is contesting and will be present on stage with once political rival Mayawati. On May 8, a joint rally will be held in Azamgarh, Akhilesh’s constituency and on April 25, the alliance will address a rally in Kannauj, the seat of Akhilesh’s wife Dimple. Badaun, where a joint rally is being held on April 13, is the constituency of Dharmendra Yadav, Akhilesh’s first counsin while the April 20 rally in Ferozabad is crucial for Akshay Yadav, who is the son of Ram Gopal Yadav, Mulayam’s cousin.

A BSP member further said they had tried to accommodate seats of both parties in rallies, but actual venues were SP seats as “BSP cadre is more willing to travel longer distances to hear Mayawati speak” and it would be easier to ensure a bigger turnout.

SP spokesperson Udaiveer Singh said joint rallies had been decided after discussions between leaders of two parties. “We are in process of scheduling rallies and jan sabhas and if there is a request from any BSP constituency for a leader from SP, they will definitely attend the rally,” he said.