The old adage in Indian politics that “the road to power in Delhi passes through Lucknow” has proved especially true in the fortunes of the BJP. Narendra Modi was able to form a government with an effective single-party majority in 2014, almost entirely because of the cushion provided by winning 71 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. And the massive win in the 2017 Assembly polls will make its difference in Rajya Sabha equations in the coming years, irrespective of the results of the 2019 general elections.
However, the BJP's superiority, and Modi's clout, in Uttar Pradesh could be in for some trouble as a second dalit MP from the state in as many days has written to the Prime Minister with complaints.
After Robertsganj MP Chhote Lal Kharwar complained to the PM of being ill-treated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on April 5, Nagina MP Yashwant Singh has now written to Modi, saying the Centre has been ignoring dalits.
In his letter to Modi, Singh claimed he became an MP because of reservations and in “four years, the government has done nothing for the 30 crore dalits of the country.” Singh has also appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn its March 20 decision on the SC/ST Act that provoked violent protests by dalit groups.
Earlier this month, Savitri Bai Phule, a dalit MP from Bahraich, held a rally in Lucknow that demanded there be no changes to the Constitution or policy of reservation. The rally saw extensive criticism of the Modi government. Interestingly, at the rally, Phule also gave priority to the 'blue' colour associated with the BSP, instead of the BJP's trademark saffron and eulogised BSP founder Kanshi Ram.
Even as Modi recently declared that no government has honoured dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar as much as his administration has, the Adityanath government's move to add 'Ramji' to Ambedkar's name and desecration of monuments dedicated to the icon across India have caused unease in the community.
The reordering of political forces in Uttar Pradesh—with the BSP and SP inching toward an alliance and the Congress playing along—could make the loss of substantial dalit support very costly to the BJP and deny Modi an encore.
(With agency inputs)