(Samaj Weekly)
Uttar Pradesh elections will be held in 2022.
After facing several defeats – will “Bahujan Politics” change its course or keep going downhill ? After Aazad Samaj Party and its leader, Advocate Chandra Shekhar’s announcement of fighting elections, this question has resurfaced.
To make the Bahujan Samaj ruler of the country, Babasaheb Ambedkar formed RPI, which unfortunately failed after him. Second major attempt was made by Saheb Kanshi Ram on 14th April, 1984 through BSP. After he passed away, it met the same fate as RPI. Now, Advocate Chandra Shekhar is on a new endeavour with ASP.
After RPI and BSP – will ASP provide alternative to Bahujan Politics ?
There are different views on this.
According to some, ASP’s decision to fight elections will further split Bahujan Samaj, which is already divided between SP-BSP in Uttar Pradesh.
Advocate Chandra Shekhar is accused of being in a haste. Some suggest, that he should stick to social movements and leave the arena of politics to BSP.
His struggle for Bahujan Samaj is getting recognition. Will it get converted to votes, people are apprehensive.
But if ASP doesn’t fight elections, will BSP be able to stop RSS-BJP in U.P ?
In 2017, when BSP fought alone; RSS-BJP swept the U.P elections. BSP won only 19 out of 403 MLAs.
In 2019, it allied with Samajwadi Party but they still won 62 out of 80 MPs.
So, whether BSP fights 2022 elections alone or in alliance; won’t be able to stop RSS-BJP.
In all this political upheaval, the majority Bahujan Samaj with 85% population is pushed to the margins; while the minority Savarn Samaj(Brahmin, Baniya, Thakur) with only 15% population has seized power.
According to some, the sudden rise of RSS-BJP is not due to the failure of Bahujan parties and leaders but hacking of EVM machines.
But the real reason for RSS-BJP’s success is its grassroot leaders; while almost all opposition parties are caught in nepotism. Their Prince-Princess have become a laughing stock against RSS-BJP cadres. Whether elections are held in States or at the Centre – today are fought more on the image of leaders than parties. The more powerful and charismatic leader any community has, the more chances it has of forming government.
In these circumstances, will Bahujan Samaj head towards establishing a new political outfit through ASP and Advocate Chandra Shekhar ? Only 2022 election results can answer this.
For now – Bahujan Politics, which is caught in a dilemma for sometime, seems to be making an effort to finally come out of it.
