Truth about Samajwadi Party will unfold in 15 days, says Mayawati

Sitting beneath a large portrait of Buddha in a room with otherwise bare walls, dressed in pure white, a visibly relaxed BSP supremo Mayawati seemed unruffled by the bustle in the enemy camps—the BJP's hopes of getting mileage from the surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) or the Samajwadi Party's (SP) proposed grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

Taking a break from her busy schedule in the poll-bound state, she had a series of meetings carried out with methodical precision at her 3, Thyagaraja Road residence in the Capital. The appointments included interactions with some mediapersons—a deviation from her characteristic reluctance to give interviews. Sources close to her said "behenji" now preferred to interact directly with the media to avoid any distortion in messages conveyed through others.

After a warm greeting and brief introduction, that broke any spell of apprehension, she began to patiently reel out her answers to expected questions, tearing into both her foes—SP and BJP—almost equitably.

"I have toured UP and it looks like people are really unhappy with the policies of both the BJP at the Centre and SP in the state. The promises made by the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections have not been kept...Two-and-a-half years is a long time. The SP assured jobs and 24-hour power...They have not implemented most of their promises," she told DNA.

Mayawati claimed that several schemes, like the metro and expressway projects for which the SP was taking credit, had actually been brought about during her regime. "The names of the schemes have been changed," said the former UP chief minister. She added that unlike her rivals, she was promising permanent jobs and direct financial help to the poor instead of giving unemployment allowances and laptops.

But her biggest pledge, she said, was to "resume law and order" in a state "where women cannot go out."

Mayawati's composure stemmed partly from the disarray in the SP. "The SP's base voter has got split. The Muslims want to see the BJP defeated... But seeing the fight in SP, they will vote for us," she said. Muslims account for around 18 per cent of the state's population.

Accusing both BJP and the SP of trying to communally polarise the people, she said the Muzaffarnagar riots were the "milli bhagat" of both parties.

Reiterating her cautious stand on triple talaq, Mayawati said any lacunae in laws should be left to the community itself to address, and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "People of various communities live here.

Nobody should interfere with another community. There should not be a situation where Modi is trying to force his thinking on other communities," she said.

Asked if she agreed with those people who alleged that the feud between Mulayam, Shivpal and Akhilesh was a drama, Mayawati said, "In 15-16 days everything will unfold. Then it will become clear."

Asked about the BJP, the BSP supremo was dismissive of speculation that the "surgical strikes" was giving the party an edge. She said, "This is nothing new. It's been happening everywhere in the world but it's not politicised.

The Army does its job. There is no peace at the border or in Jammu and Kashmir. Everyday our jawans are getting martyred."

She added, "If there was peace, then they (BJP) could have taken credit."

When asked how she saw herself five years later, after the last assembly election, when she had lost power, Mayawati was evasive. However, sources who have watched her closely over the years said she had "matured", having gone through the experience of being in power and out of it.

Politically, the 60-year-old politician has cast her net wider, beyond the party's traditional Dalit-Muslim votebank, for the upcoming polls. This was evident from the change in the party's slogan from "sarvajan hitaye, sarvajan sukhaye" (welfare and well being of all) from "Bahujan hitaye, Bahujan sukhaye".

This was also evident from her response to queries on the caste debate. "We don't differentiate between communities," was her answer.

The BSP supremo also blamed the SP for blocking the passage of amendments of the SC/ST promotions Bill in Parliament.

Exuding confidence, Mayawati, who has decided on 90 per cent of her party candidates for the UP elections to be held early next year, said those who have left BSP to join other parties will not be able to take their votes with them.

"People are now realising that they should have voted for the BSP in the last assembly elections...If elected, we will end jungle raj and promote development."