BSP was satisfied over its performance and BJP was licking its wounds. SP was working up options and looking for opportunities. It wanted to grab power.
Just then Gujarat communal riots broke out and entire nation was anguished and grief stricken. Hindu communalists massacred Muslims. In its background Mayawati and BJP got tossed together. They were coming together. Muslims did not like BJP at all. But in her rule during 1995 and 1997 Mayawati had done enough work for the benefit of Muslims and earned their trust. But Muslims were critical of Mayawati for seeking BJP’s support. Whatever horrendous things took place in Gujarat made Muslims hate BJP. Narendra Modi had tarnished the image of BJP to such an extent that it had become a political untouchable on the national scene. Parties were clamouring for ban on Bajrang Dal and VHP and dismisal of Narendra Modi. Amid this scenario Mayawati was silent and issued no statement against the carnage.
Kanshiram and Mayawati did not appear to be concerned about Gujarat. Their single minded attention was to gain power in UP and rule to encash the electoral success. And for that they needed BJP support. Against Gujarat happening there were rumours that some NDA partners could withdraw support to the government. Kanshiram promised Vajpayee BSP would support him at centre if BJP helped them form government in UP. Later Mayawati propagated for BJP in Vidhan Sabha elections. Communal riots broke out at several places. The silence of Kanshiram and Mayawati during Gujarat riots put question mark on their secular credentials.
On May 3, 2003 Mayawati became chief minister of UP for the third time. At assuming office she tried to win back trust of the Muslims.
Mayawati had made compromises with BJP three times to gain power. The latest one appeared the most beneficial. She had gained support without any condition. Mayawati could rule for full five years without sharing power in turns. As Vajpayee and L.K. Advani promised continued support without strings.
BSP celebrated the occasion with great gusto and fanfare. But local BJP leaders were miffed up. They did not like Mayawati becoming CM. Kalyan Singh was the biggest critic. He was expelled from the party. Local leaders made uncharitable remarks about this arrangement. Rajnath Singh and Vinay Katiyar too were detractors.
BJP had fared badly in polls and in making Mayawati the CM it drew consolation of being the king maker whatever it was worth.
A.B. Vajpayee had made it clear that he won’t tolerate any criticism to the BSP-BJP agreement. True to that promise he rebuked Rajnath Singh for speaking against the agreement.
Mayawati proved her majority on the floor of the house. She won by a margin of 37 votes. It was speculated that 14 Muslim MLAs of BSP could vote against Mayawati for joining hands with BJP. But that didn’t happen. But there was anger amongst Muslims. Mayawati had to be careful.
Meanwhile Mulayam Singh was doing everything to bring down Mayawati government. He was going around telling everyone that Mayawati was going to turn UP into another Gujarat for the benefit of BJP. Somehow Mayawati kept situation under control. She assured Muslim community it need not fear her and she would always work for their benefit and safety.
Mayawati rejected several demands of the members of BJP that could hurt Muslims. This move of Mayawati made positive impression amongst Muslims.
She also tried to allay the fears of upper castes that was generated by the law made to protect the scheduled classes from persecution. She also took some steps to appease Hindu hardliners and earned their praise.
Mayawati was having very good relationship and understanding with Atal Bihari Vajpayee. She wished for similar rapport with Deputy PM, L.K. Advani. She took some steps to create favourable impression in the mind of Advani. A case against him related to Babri Masjid demolition was shifted to Raibareli from Allahabad.
Mayawati was determined to settle scores with SP and Congress. The Congress was in her cross hair for playing inactive role when she was attacked by SP goons in the state guest house. Then Congress was ruling at the centre. No action was taken even later when the culprits had been identified.
Tensions between BSP and Congress increased when the latter tried to take the turf of the former. Congress was trying to win back its old Dalit base. Thakurs had demolished a Dalit house in the constituency of Sonia Gandhi. Her daughter rallied Congress youth and get case registered in police station against the culprits. Congress youth workers were to construct the house through voluntary labour work. Mayawati get Sec. 144 imposed in the area alleging the Congress youth mob could disturb the peace of the area. Sometime later Sonia Gandhi handed over the house to the Dalit constructed by Congress volunteers.
Mayawati felt Congress was unnecessarily interfering in her state. She even charged Sonia Gandhi with accusation that she was fanning casteism. Mayawati said she would get Sonia Gandhi defeated in the coming Lok Sabha polls. She even lured away 8 Congress MLAs by offering them ministerial berths. It gave her some consolation to the dismay of the Congress party. Clearly Mayawati was over-reacting as she had come to believe Dalit welfare was her sole preserve and anyone venturing in appeared a poacher. Congress had done no wrong. It had just shown sympathy to a victimised Dalit and for that it lost 8 MLAs as a price. But the old party did not complain and waited for its chances.
Mayawati was having trouble with the Congress and after some time troubles with BJP also began and took such a bad turn that their pact began to fall apart. The cause was Tajmahal. It came to light that an illegal corridor was being constructed below Yamuna river level. The central government ordered immediate stoppage to the corridor project.
Mayawati issued a statement—”Construction of the Taj Corridor has been put on hold. I am also for protecting the beauty and grace of Tajmahal. It is our national legacy. I will allow no construction that may distract one’s attention from its beauty.” The secretary of environment of UP got suspended.
But only a few days later Mayawati became very critical of the central government. She said. “It is obvious that whatever was happening in Taj Corridor Project the central minister of culture and environment had no idea. When the media raked up the issue he is accusing the officers of my state. He could be involved in the corridor scam. Let him explain or he be dismissed from the central cabinet. BSP will raise the issue in parliament and unmask the culprits.”
The statement shocked NDA, the ruling alliance. In this regard Supreme Court had ordered enquiry by CBI into the construction of Taj Corridor and the role of UP government in it. Mayawati suspected that some conspiracy was being hatched against her. So, she decided to go on the offensive. BSP members raised hue and cry in the parliament. Mayawati lost the support of Vajpayee and Advani. As a result BJP leaders opined that time had come when the party must withdraw its support to Mayawati.
Suddenly Mayawati changed tactics and went in soft mode. She may have seen in it her own and the party’s interest. She withdrew her demand for the dismissal of the central minister.
But from her countenance it was clear her move was only a tactical retreat and covertly she was fuming. Any little provocation or change of mood could set her in aggressive mode. She asked her party workers to be ready for another electoral battle. It was a hint that she could snap ties with BJP anytime.
August was a difficult month. CBI was deep into investigation of Taj Corridor case. It interrogated environment minister of UP in this regard. Mayawati felt that the heat was getting closer to her. She decided to resign from her post in a miffed up mood. The leaders of BJP were caught by surprise.
Mayawati had broken ties with BJP and to the governor she recommended dissolution of assembly and fresh elections. She explained to A.B. Vajpayee—”From reliable sources I learnt BJP leaders are using Taj Corridor probe to pressurise me to concede more seats to them for next Lok Sabha elections. It is not fair.”
BJP leaders were stunned at her mood. It so angered them that they decided to hit back by proposing up her arch rival Mulayam Singh Yadav in the chair of chief ministership. It indeed stunned Mayawati. BJP leaders met the governor and gave hints they could support Mulayam Singh. Kalyan Singh, Ajit Singh an Jagdambika Pal announced they would support Mulayam for chief ministership. Mulayam Singh was still short of majority because BJP would not extend open support to him because SP and BJP represented hostile support basis. The voters would not approve it and the parties might have suffered erosions in support base.
At last Mulayam was able to put together a list of 210 supporting MLAs. It included 14 defectors from BSP. The defectors could have attracted provisions of Anti-defection Law and got disqualified but Mayawati had herself been inducing defections circumventing that law. She had little right to complain on moral ground. And she had antagonised the governor and there was no sympathy for her in Raj Bhavan.
So, as expected crafty Mulayam Singh was sworn as the chief minister of UP to the chagrin of Mayawati. Eventually Mulayam was able to lure away 37 BSP members of the assembly.
Mulayam had won the battle but there was no sweetness in the air. All the leaders who supported Mulayam now had been bitter critics, detractors and sworn enemies of him. Anything could happen any time. He must tread the path carefully.
Late Pramod Mahajan had played a big role in creating atmosphere in favour of Mulayam Singh and in working up tacit BJP support for him. He reasoned with Mulayam in power BJP had everything to gain. Pro-muslim Mulayam could help BJP its Hindu vote bank intact in its pocket. Thus, BJP traded away UP. It resulted in collateral damage in BSP and DMK of Tamil Nadu distancing from BJP. Two useful allies it lost for dubious gains.
A cold distance had appeared in the relationship between RSS and Vajpayee government. The parent organisation wanted a new PM next time around.
Meanwhile, Mayawati was in a down period. The party was disintegrating. All the antagonists has come together in support of Mulayam against her. A sizable group of her MLAs had broken away and was now with Mulayam. She was under siege of her detractors. Other parties were happy to see the sorry state of BSP. Like vultures they hovered above hoping for the elephant to collapse and die.
Mayawati was still grappling with problems when her arch enemy Raja Bhaiya got released from jail. There now was one more danger for Mayawati. Behind this development Mulayam had his hand. The leaders of BJP were happy at it. More troubles for Mayawati the better they felt.
Raja Bhaiya was alleged to be a gangster. Mayawati felt physically threatened. She resigned from the assembly and holed up in her Lucknow residence under elaborate security. Observers thought she was overreacting to the release of Raja Bhaiya.
Mayawati had made adequate arrangements for her security and physical safety. But she could do little about the threat posed by the attitude of the Supreme Court. First CBI grilled her and then her houses at Lucknow, Delhi and other places were raided. CBI was now probing more deeply. One of the misfortunes was that some of her confidants had turned against her and were creating problems for her. To make their positions secure these officials were shifting all blame on earlier Mayawati government. Mayawati was feeling very lonely. Kanshiram was seriously ill. He was bed-ridden and could not walk about. Many of the trusted MLAs had deserted Mayawati.
But Mayawati did not lose heart and showed her battling spirit. She had made up her mind to teach lesson to all her detractors and those who had made use of her. She targeted Vajpayee and local BJP leader Lalji Tandon.
Mayawati felt she had been betrayed by the Vajpayee group within BJP and NDA. It put pressure on Vajpayee to see her government fall. In October her residence was raided. She claimed it was done at the behest of the PM A.B. Vajpayee and some members of his family. She alleged those members of PM’s family had also amassed wealth that needed to be investigated by CBI.
Meanwhile, a former close confidant of Mulayam Singh Yadav had joined the camp of Mayawati. He knew a lot about the cases Mulayam Singh had got her involved in. He had examined the documents related to those cases and got stay order from the court on her arrest.
Mulayam Singh was angry with the officers who were helping out Mayawati. One of them was transferred and other had to resign from his post. But the officers did not desert Mayawati and supported her.
As Mayawati learnt the court had issued stay order on her arrest her joy knew no bounds. Now she could pay her full attention to political matters to show her detractors their place. Delhi, Chhatisgarh, MP and Rajasthan were due for assembly polls. Mayawati took a vow to take her revenge on BJP by spoiling its chances as it was the main opposition or ruling party in those states. It was the year of 2003. Lok Sabha polls were due next year.
This time the party did not align with Congress in MP. Local BSP leaders wanted to go it alone. Although BSP improved its vote percentage yet it did not translated in seats. BJP won in Chhatisgarh, MP and Rajasthan. In Delhi Congress won again. But the defeat in three other states had demoralised Congress. Sonia Gandhi put up a brave face and tried to enthuse and console party workers.
BJP was ecstatic at its victories and began to see dreams of landslide victory in Lok Sabha polls due following year 2004.
For Congress it was a change over period. Sonia Gandhi was trying to reorganise the party after the disastrous handling of it by Narsimha Rao and Sitaram Kesari. There was a time when monolithic Congress had not even considered aligning with any other party. But the time had changed. The age of coalitions was in. Sonia Gandhi understood it.
Sonia Gandhi appealed to all the secular parties to come together to defeat communal forces led by BJP. She discussed the matter with Ramvilas Paswan, Lalu Yadav and Karunanidhi. In Maharashtra alliance was worked out with NCP, a break away Congress faction led by Sharad Pawar.
Mayawati was in contact with Sonia Gandhi ever since assembly polls. On January, 15, 2004 on the occasion of the birthday of Mayawati, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi turned up and congratulated her.
Sonia Gandhi was gradually transforming into a clever political creature. Others were now treating her with respect and awe. She was able to crush the dreams of BJP leaders in 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
In 2004 General Elections the downfall of BJP began and Congress was back with a bang. The roots of Sonia Gandhi was now firmly established in politics. The BJP was humiliated in UP, once its citadel.
In UP the Congress also did not do good. It got only 10 seats. BJP won 11 and SP bagged 36 seats, 10 seats more than last time. BSP improved its total vote share to healthy 26-67%.
Prior to 2007 UP assembly polls, Mayawati disclosed in a press conference in Delhi that there were two groups in BJP namely Vajpayee group and other was Advani group. The former group was responsible for installing Mulayam Singh in UP. Unwilling Vajpayee was forced by the group which consisted of Pramod Mahajan, Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon. She alleged Tandon himself wanted to become CM, kept his leaders in dark and got the assembly suspended. It all led to Mulayam Singh becoming chief minister. The same group was hounding her through CBI and other investigating agencies, she claimed. Advani group was in favour of her continuance as CM but the other group thwarted it. Mayawati alleged, she faced danger to her life from that group.
Then, Mayawati narrated the misdeeds of the government of Mulayam Singh. They included stealing her farmer and sugar mill policies and total collapse of law and order system.
Mayawati announced her party was not going to align with any other party. It will go it alone. Her party represents class constituted 85% of the total population. The endeavour of BSP would be to prepare Bahujan society base all over the country and take control of the powers. She hoped the day was not far when her party would be able to form government on its own at the centre.
