It did not take long for former Uttar Pradesh CM and the new BSP president, Mayawati, to emerge from being political outcast to bosom buddy to BJP and Congress.In the last few days, the Dalit leader has been assiduously wooed both by BJP and the Congress in a desperate attempt to keep her from the other. In between is the loyal Dalit votebank which both parties are eyeing in the run-up to the Assembly elections in five states. Change temple stand and be friends: SP to BJP JAMSHEDPUR: UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said the Samajwadi Party was prepared to get closer to BJP if it agreed to forgo some of its political agenda like the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and uniform civil code. Mulayam, who flew in to Jamshedpur from Lucknow to attend the SP’s two-day national executive meeting that begins tomorrow, said if the BJP gave up its pet issues like Ayodhya and abolition of Article 370 and changed its attitude to Muslims, the SP was ready to bridge differences with BJP. Asked whether Congress support to his government would open up the door for an alliance between the two parties in the coming Assembly polls in five states, the CM said: ‘‘SP will not be in a cartel and will maintain issue-based relations with Congress and other parties.’’ On corruption charges against the Mayawati government, he said, ‘‘We don’t believe in political vendetta. The law will take its own course.’’ (Agencies) The provocation for this new intimacy and familiarity from both sides was Mayawati’s sudden fit of empathy for the Congress which she made public last week. At a press conference in Delhi last Friday, Mayawati singularly praised Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for her prompt telephone call and concern for the critically ill BSP founder Kanshi Ram.Within a day of her stinging remarks against the political class, especially the BJP, a galaxy of leaders have tried to undo the damage. In the last three days, Mayawati has been inundated by visitors ranging from chief ministers, ministers, former chief ministers and senior party officials, who are now tripping over each other to win her attention.The first senior BJP leader to meet the ailing Kanshi Ram was Advani, who appeared at the hospital almost immediately after the news hit the headlines, with a large bouquet of flowers. He spent a few minutes with a barely conscious Kanshi Ram and left almost immediately as Mayawati was touring in Rajasthan.While Advani came and left quietly, the SP’s Mulayam Yadav and Amar Singh’s visit was planned with a lot of media fanfare. As flashbulbs exploded and cameras whirred, a beaming Yadav talked about how he had buried the past to meet the ailing BSP leader.Both the BJP and Congress are aware of the crucial Dalit factor, which the BSP represents, in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi. A pre-poll alliance or understanding with BSP could tilt the favour towards one of the two parties.So, there was the BJP’s candidate for Delhi CM’s post Madanlal Khurana, who arrived at Kanshi Ram’s bedside on Monday afternoon, with party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in tow. Khurana, however, was beaten by Chhattisgarh CM, Ajit Jogi, who not only claimed to have spent an emotional hour with Kanshi Ram but said the BSP leader had even handed the mantle of leading the Dalits to him. Kanshi Ram reportedly whispered to Jogi, ‘‘My mission is only half-accomplished. I am leaving it to you.’’ Mayawati’s reaction is still awaited. Not to be outdone, Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit arrived with her Transport Minister Ajay Maken, to meet the ailing BSP leader.Perhaps, one significant visitor who announced his arrival but could not make it was powerful RSS joint-secretary, Madan Das Devi. He had to cancel his visit as he had to rush to Jabalpur to attend the funeral of Rajasthan Governor N.C. Jain. It would have been a bristling political event had Mayawati and Devi met.
