Ram Vilas Paswan : Seasoned Dalit Leader

Other than the usual designated “Yuvrajs” of Gandhi family, the one politician who has been most pampered in India is Mayawati. She has been pampered like a queen. Many people will not believe but it is a fact that she is not a real “Dalit” leader in the sense meaning somebody who has seen the real hardship of Villages and the issues faced by Dalits there. She was a Primary School teacher and didn’t have to slog through Village Politics. Kashiram her mentor saw some exceptional leadership qualities in her and made her as his Political Heir. So unlike Ram Vilas Paswan and other Dalit leaders she doesn’t have to slog her way from Bottom up.

Then BJP started pampering her since 1995 by making her CM first time with 6 month rotational Chief Minister plan. Obviously this didn’t worked and the coalition broke down. Then PV Narasimha Rao made coalition with BSP in 1996 which resulted in rout of congress in UP but Mayawati benefited. Then again BJP tried to flirt with Mayawati around 1998 with the same 6 month formula which obviously failed.

Thus it seems strange that though despite her ditching BJP and Congress too often, why did both PVN and Vajpayee preferred to have alliance with Mayawati despite their regional leaders dead opposed against it. This was because both PVN and Vajpayee sincerely wanted to give Dalits the prestige of power, a place where they can feel that they are in command. There were many Dalit leaders post independence like Bau Jagjeevan Ram or Sitaram kesari etc but they couldn’t connect to Dalits to the same level as Kanshiram did. Kanshiram passed on this legacy to Mayawati.

So unlike Ram Vilas Paswan, Mayawati has not struggled too hard to reach this place. So she can easily say that she will become Prime Minister even though she may not be confident of winning 30-40 seats.

This election in Uttar Pradesh Mayawati may not be confident of winning more than 35 seats. But the same number of seats could be won by Jayalalitha / Chandra Babu Naidu and Pawar. Then why shouldn’t they claim their title to PM post so aggressively. This because they are seasoned politicians and obviously not so much pampered. They have faced humiliating defeats in past and understand that what does Democratic Humbling means.

So hopefully Mayawati who has seen her graphs only going up through out her life may face some heat this time. In any case today general feel is that leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan are more mature and seasoned Dalit leader under whose aegis the country will prospers.