Pushed to the back foot by the fear of losing support of the upper castes, Bahujan Samaj Party national president Mayawati called off the party's proposed anti-Bharatiya Janata Party and anti-government protest on Monday, saying the party was not expecting "justice" from the government and would instead take the matter to the people's court and hold mega rallies next month.
"Earlier, we were demanding arrest of (expelled) BJP leader Dayashankar Singh. We know there is a nexus between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party and this government will not arrest the BJP leader. Instead of wasting our energy, we have decided to hold mega rallies. So, the proposed protest, which was to be held on Monday across the state, stands cancelled," Mayawati told reporters here on Sunday.
The first mega rally will be held in Agra on August 21 and the next in Azamgarh, the parliamentary constituency of SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, on August 28.
The decision to call off Monday's protest is an astute political move as the BSP is fast losing support of the upper castes after BSP workers, during a protest in lucknow, used disparaging words against the minor daughter of Dayashankar Singh, who is a Thakur by caste. Mayawati knows she cannot come to power only on the basis of Dalit votes. She needs votes of the upper castes also.
Once Dayashankar Singh's wife Swati Singh pleaded her case, highlighting how her minor daughter was targeted, BSP's agitation lost its sheen. Mayawati immediately decided to call off the statewide protest and announced the 'Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay' (welfare of all) rally.
In her press conference, which was just a 36-minute monologue after which she refused to take questions, Mayawati declared that in her rallies she would highlight the nexus between the BJP and the SP.
"I will expose the BJP and the SP -- how both the parties are working together. I will hold public meetings in different parts of the state to apprise people of the 'conspiracy' to prevent BSP from coming to power," she said.
Mayawati made public the blueprint of the rallies in which she will try to woo Muslims by projecting SP as an ally of BJP.
"The FIR lodged against me in lucknow is a conspiracy. I gave statement in Parliament and this cannot be challenged in the court. It is a clear case of contempt of Parliament," she said.
Mayawati even took a jibe at Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav saying "if he really recognises me as his 'Bua' he should ensure arrest of Dayashankar and reject the FIRs against the BSP leaders."
She defended party leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui saying no BSP leader had used any derogatory word against the family member of Dayashankar Singh.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BSP chief said though the PM shed crocodile tears over welfare of Dalits by announcing construction of memorials in the name of Dr BR Ambedkar, the Una incident had exposed the BJP.
"That unfortunate incident, in which Dalit youths were mercilessly assaulted, was the handiwork of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and BJP. The entire country seems to be concerned about the Dalit atrocities in Gujarat but the PM has not uttered a word on this incident," she said.
The former Chief Minister also criticised Modi for announcing construction of AIIMS and revival of fertiliser factory in Gorakhpur so late. She said these decisions were taken keeping the UP polls in mind.
"If the BJP was serious about the welfare of people, these projects should have been announced soon after the government came to power," she added.
In the evening, Mayawati held a meeting with senior party functionaries and discussed the nitty-gritty of the proposed rallies. leaders of various committees were asked to present their reports about party activities soon.