Hate speech: Weak BJP to Maya's advantage

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s attack on UP government on Monday coincided with support from prominent Muslim clergy and the
influential All India Muslim Personal Law Board for the action against Varun Gandhi.

Obviously, the question being asked is why Mayawati didn’t pre-empt the Varun roadshow, not a big task if she could stop L K Advani from holding a rally in Azamgarh just a few days ago.

Sources in Lucknow said Mayawati, who was initially wary of clamping down on Varun for fear of an adverse fallout among Brahmins, made up her mind after intelligence reports that the Pilibhit turnout on Saturday was a VHP affair with little local support.

The strategists of both Congress and SP seem convinced that the Mayawati gameplan is simple — let Varun-BJP polarize Hindus while she can clamp down on saffronites to consolidate Muslims behind BSP.

The gambit has a special role in western and central UP where BSP has to contend with strong challenge from SP and Congress. She can change the battle terrain by inserting a weak BJP in the play. A competitive SP and Congress hurt BSP more on Muslim front — a social group Mayawati is eyeing to supplement her Dalit-Brahmin combo.