BJP will have a hard time attacking Mayawati post 'prostitute' remark

Twenty four hours is a long time in politics. On the evening of July 20, when Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, was asked why Dayashankar Singh had not been expelled from the BJP for his unsavoury remark on BSP supremo Mayawati, he replied, "We have removed him from the vice president's post. We can't expel him just because somebody wants us to behave in a particular way."

A couple of hours later, BSP leaders filed an FIR against Dayashankar, and the BJP promptly sacked him from the party post late at night. It looked as if the BJP's efforts to woo the Dalits had suffered a major setback

However, the BJP changed its strategy overnight.

Next morning, though offering unequivocal criticism of Dayashankar's statement, the BJP was at its belligerent best. Deflecting criticism by the BSP by counter-attacking Mayawati, Maurya said that Dayashankar's statement couldn't be supported but invoking this "dead" political issue would not make the people of Uttar Pradesh forget the corrupt deeds of Mayawati.

Union water resources minister Uma Bharti, in fact, reminded Mayawati of the infamous VVIP state guest house case of Uttar Pradesh and told her that she should not forget who had helped her at that time.

Two more leaders of the BJP also repeated the same advice. This particular reference has not gone down well with a section of the state BJP leadership which feels that this reference will draw a sharp reaction from the Dalit community.

These leaders of the BJP feel that this counter-attack, immediately after Dayashankar's statement, will not go down well with the community.

There is a general consensus that the party should restrict itself to explaining the swift action it had taken to first suspend and then expel the BJP leader.

A state BJP leader said, "Attacking her (Mayawati) and at the same time condoning the statement made by Dayashankar doesn't make us look good."

The BJP leadership agrees that the party, instead of trying to be aggressive in counter-attacking Mayawati, should rather be low key, especially when this is not the only Dalit problem that is to be dealt with.

A BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh pointed out that the national newspapers are all full of what is happening to the Dalits in Gujarat. While the party has not been able to properly deal with the Dalits and the situation is getting out of control with every passing day, this constant reminding of the VVIP guest house case will not show the BJP in good light, especially when election in Uttar Pradesh is less than a year away and the BJP's overarching ambition is to stitch a Dalit coalition.

But it also raises an important counter question:

Has the BSP leadership's visceral attack on Dayashankar's family come as a blessing in disguise for the BJP?

While Dayashankar was the villain of the narrative, the BSP leadership's verbal assault on the family of Dayashankar has given the BJP a reason to smile.

During the protest rally organised by the BSP in Lucknow a lot of unsavoury references were made to Dayashankar's wife and 12-year-old daughter. This outburst, especially against his 12-year-old daughter, has raised several uncomfortable questions for the BSP.

A BSP leader confided that the statements made by some of the other leaders of the party have not gone down well with the masses and in a way have deflected attention from Mayawati.

The party should have restricted the narrative to Mayawati being insulted by her arch rival, the BJP.

With Dayashankar's family opening a new front over the insults heaped on them, there exists a real chance of counter consolidation of upper castes in Uttar Pradesh, especially the Thakurs. The BSP knows well that to attain a majority as in 2007, it needs the upper castes in its kitty.