Addressing her party workers on her birthday in Lucknow, BSP chief Mayawati asserted that the BSP is the only party that can stop the BJP from coming to power in UP.
The meaning is clear; it is about making the Muslim community feel the fear of living in a BJP-ruled state, so that they ditch the Samajwadi Party for the BSP.
This also infers that Muslim voters still trust the Samajwadi Party and that the real fight in UP is set to be between brand Akhilesh and brand Modi, despite the rift in the Yadav clan.
Mayawati, in turn, is leaving no stone unturned to make this a triangular fight . She has the support of 13 percent of Jatav voters, and is expecting to win the support of 19 percent of Muslim voters.
PM Modi’s Charisma Has Not Faded
Demonetisation is bound to play a huge role in the the UP elections. But this has not affected Modi’s popularity. People are inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt, maintaining that his decision was not ill-intended and that it was simply not implemented correctly. However, BJP is not relying solely on demonetisation but has finalised its strategy after taking all aspects into consideration.
In general, the upper caste voters who are vocal supporters of BJP see the upcoming UP elections as their chance to get rid of both Mayawati and Mulayam. Modi also commands popularity among 30 percent of the non-Yadav OBC voters.
Anupriya Patel’s inclusion in the cabinet, Keshav Prasad Maurya’s appointment as the President of BJP’s UP unit, and the induction of former BSP leader, Swami Prasad Maurya, in the BJP, have helped the party strengthen their social base.
However, the voters appear to be split between being swayed by brand Modi and sympathising with Akhilesh. This appears to be the main impediment in the path of the BJP and the BSP.
Akhilesh on the Verge of Creating History
Politics works on personality and public perception. As of right now, Akhilesh appears to have both. Many see him as an able administrator who puts development first, while standing up against his family to fight corruption and crime.
Eager to change the system, Akhilesh, in many ways, represents the angry young man that Amitabh played in the 70s and 80s while uncle Shivpal plays the role of antagonist Amrish Puri. Akhilesh is ready to pay any price to set the Samajwadi Party free from the ringleader – who is responsible for all of the party’s mistakes over the last five years and for shielding its MLAs and leaders with criminal histories.
The SP family feud has done away with the anti-incumbency factor and has created a positive image of Akhilesh. In the election campaign, if the opposition raises issues related to law and order, unemployment, and so on, Akhilesh can simply shrug it off and hold Shivpal responsible. In one shot, he has dismissed the ‘five-and-a-half CMs’ charge.
With the UP elections, Akhilesh has a shot at entering the category of leaders like Nitish, Shivraj and Raman. He can do what Maulana Mulayam could not do in his time despite enjoying strong Muslim-Yadav alliance – to be elected to power after having ruled the state for five years.
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