Author:
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 6, 2008
Introduction: CM Dissolves Upper Caste Panels
Dropping the bonhomie rhetoric that saw BSP
drawing in Brahmin votes and leaders in last year's election, UP chief minister
Mayawati has trained her guns on Brahmins, holding them responsible for the
party's debacle in Ballia by-election. In a huff, she announced the dissolution
of all the Vaishya and Brahmin bhaichara samitis, which were formed to bring
the trading community and Brahmins close to BSP.
At a meeting of BSP legislators and members
of Parliament on Friday, Mayawati said bhaichara samitis will be reconstituted.
She also instructed party leaders to finalise the list of candidates for Lok
Sabha elections by the end of January. In what is being seen as playing down
of Brahmin-card, Mayawati appointed Naseemuddin Siddiqui, KK Gautam, Munkad
Ali and Jugul Kishore as party coordinators in the state. Brahmins have been
conspicuously ignored, apparently to send a message to the Dalit voter that
their interests would not be compromised.
She took the Brahmin leadership to task for
poor performance in Ballia as it was on their suggestion that she gave ticket
to Vinay Shankar Tewari for the poll.
