The alliance between SP and BSP wrote a new chapter in the history of UP Mulayam Singh, Kanshiram and Mayawati were the co-authors of the chapter. It was clear that Mulayam was not favoured by Dalits and backwards because the social groups he represented were hostile to them.
Mulayam Singh was seen in UP politics as a clever and cunning leader, a heir to Chaudhary Charan Singh. In the beginning he did some work for the economic upliftment of the backward classes but he distanced himself away from them as he got politically entrenched. The basic structure Kanshiram wanted to introduce was ignored by him. Mulayam Singh had struck deal with BSP to grab power only. The power had been gained and he was master of Lucknow. Dalit or backward agenda was not his concern.
Like Charan Singh he too thought that Dalits were unfit for political leadership. There was no point in following them and Dalits needed to be guided along and shown the way. Because of such arrogant thought Mulayam did not take Kanshiram and Mayawati seriously. He even planned to win over the BSP MLAs into his party and usurp the party apparatus of Kanshiram.
For some months alliance worked satisfactorily. They had a common agenda of supporting Mandal Commission report that recommended reservations for backward classes in government services and educational institutions. It was natural for BSP to work for upliftment of backward classes in every way possible. But Mulayam Singh’s bleeding heart for backwards came as a surprise. There definitely was something that did not meet the eye. Perhaps crafty Mulayam was trying to create soft corner in the heart of BSP members to way for eventual take over.
Mayawati was to coordinate the formation of the coalition government. She was enthusiastic about it. It could establish her as a strategist of some merit. She was pleased with the decision of Kanshiram that he would stay away from UP The local newspapers projected Mayawati as ‘Super Chief Minister’, such good impression she had created about her effectiveness.
Things were running smoothly. No one had anticipated that soon Mulayam and Mayawati would be at logger heads. A bad feeling had spread between SP and BSP. In the initial stages Mayawati denied any rift between the partners in her press
conferences and interviews. She defended the coalition
government. She alleged it was the figment of imagination of Manuist media or their wishful thinking. It was true that the media was never been positive about BSP, Even before the elections some elements had given negative news about the relations of SP and BSP. Mayawati claimed that media was largely a tool of Manuist party, BJP. She criticised Congress and Janata Dal also lebeling them as Manuist parties.
In February 1994, Mayawati charged BJP and Manuist journalists with conspiring to break up SP and BSP coalition by spreading canards and lies. Amidst news of differences and ritfs bad feeling and suspicions were spreading between the coalition partners. Dalits were being subjected to persecution and torments by castes supposed to be the supporters of SP. It was becoming intolerable situation for Mayawati. Each news of outrage against Dalits was aggravating the situation.
Meanwhile SP was encouraging BSP members of assembly to defect to it. The relations between the partners had gone bad to worse. The situation for BSP became worrisome when the party supremo Kanshiram fell ill. He was not available to deal with the situation or mend things. Mayawati was now handling the situation alone. However, even in sick condition Kanshiram tried to set things right and he was able to get BJP support through A.B. Vajpayee although Advani and Kalyan Singh were not in its favour. But Vajpayee prevailed.
According to the plan BJP leaders wanted to make Kanshiram himself the chief minister but he was not in a healthy state to oblige. They were willing to wait him to get well. By the middle of 1995, Kanshiram had learnt that Mulayam was about to break up BSP. So, he summoned Mayawati to hospital where he was under treatment. In an emergencey meeting Kanshiram confided to her his plan. About the plan, he wrote in an article later—
‘On one hand there was great pressure for the change in UP and on the others I was seriously ill. My concern for health and the UP problem was increasing day by day. Jayant Malhotra was with us. He and Mayawati took me to hospital. Doctors examined me. Jayant told Mayawati that I was suffering from some serious disease. With similar ailment the father of Jayant had died in a hospital in London. It worried Mayawati. In a panicky state she must have been hit by worrying and troubling thoughts. Who would guide her? Who could help her carry on Dalit movement etc.
The nurse who attended on me revealed that Mayawati was weeping outside my room. I called Mayawati and asked if she would like to become the chief minister of UP? She could not refuse me or go against my wish. She thought my illness had affected me and I was talking in delirious state. I told her that I had the resources to make her chief minister of UP. I showed her the paper to prove my point. They included the letter of support issued by BJP. I asked Mayawati to submit the papers to the governor of UP. He would give her the oath of office and within 15 days the majority support would be proved on the floor of the house. She accomplished it easily on June 1, 1995.”
When Mulayam Singh learnt about the development he lost his head and acted madly. In his place a Dalit women was being made chief minister whom he did not like at all, infact covertly despised. It shocked him.
The real problem was that his assessment about Maywati was wrong. Some BSP members were already with him. So he thought BSP could be so tormented and frightened that it would just surrender its claim to power.
Amidst great political heat Mayawati called a meeting of the MLAs of the party in the common hall of the state guest house to discuss the latest situation. For consultations she went to her room with some confidant MLAs. The rest stayed in the hall waiting for some more to join them. At about 4 p.m. some Samajwadi MLAs and workers attacked the guest house. They shouted the lowly untouchables had gone mad and needed to be taught a lesson.
The MLAs who were in the hall shut the main door. SP members smashed open the door and stormed in. BSP members were abused, tormented, humiliated and mercilessly thrashed. The situation became so grave that even the police officers had to fight hard to protect Mayawati who had got trapped in her room with power supply cut off by Samajwadis.
This shocking development had caught Mayawati by surprise. For power Samajwadi members had acted in a way fit for medieval barbarism only. It was the murder of democracy. The incident was a stern warning to Mayawati, that changed her into an iron lady of Indian politics.
