Will Mayawati be able to win trust of Muslims again?

If Muslims support Mayawati, how much damage will it cause to Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, who dealt a severe blow to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with the support of Muslims and Dalits?

Lucknow: Mayawati is once again trying to win the trust of Muslims. At a meeting of the Dalit-Muslim Brotherhood Committee at the party's Lucknow office on October 29, she asked workers to go and work among Muslims. They should try to reassure them that their future is secure only under the Bahujan Samaj Party's rule.

They should also provide Muslims with written information about the work Mayawati has done for Muslims. But will Muslims once again support the BSP? In 2007, Mayawati achieved success through the Dalit-Brahmin and Muslim alliance.

If Muslims support Mayawati, how much damage will it cause to Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, who dealt a severe blow to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with the support of Muslims and Dalits?

Indeed, in recent times, there has been a lot of rhetoric related to the Muslim vote bank. While the BJP has accused the SP and Congress of Muslim appeasement, both parties are targeting the BJP for not giving tickets to Muslims in Bihar.

In such a situation, Mayawati's efforts to bring Muslims closer to her may prove fruitful.

What are the Muslim equations in UP?

Muslims constitute 19.26 percent of the population in UP. In many districts of western UP, the Muslim population plays a decisive role. Dalits also have a significant share here.

It was this Muslim-Dalit equation that helped the BSP form a full-majority government in 2007. Like in Bihar, Muslims in UP are now seeking a greater role for themselves in politics. If the BSP is seen giving Muslims a more effective role, it could change the equation.

In the Lucknow meeting, Mayawati tried to reassure Muslims that once she comes to power, bulldozer operations will stop and security and justice will be available to all. This appeal by Mayawati could work.

"Behenji ran the government without bulldozers," said BSP leader
BSP Lucknow division in-charge (Muslim coordinator) Faizan Khan told Amar Ujala that Mayawati's government is unparalleled in the history of Uttar Pradesh. During this period, she provided security to every section of society without any bulldozer operations.

Strict action was taken against criminals. Development work was carried out for every community, and every community had the opportunity to progress. He alleged that today, the government is trying to hide its failures in the name of bulldozer operations.

Faizan Khan said that whether it is the BJP or the Samajwadi Party, when in power, they only work to deepen communal divisions to hide their administrative failures.

He alleged that Akhilesh Yadav, after coming to power, worked only for his family, while whenever atrocities were committed against Muslims and Dalits, he remained silent instead of raising his voice. He said that given Akhilesh Yadav's work during his five years in power and the last seven to eight years in the opposition, no Muslim will join the SP now.

Rahul and Priyanka become the most vocal voices against atrocities against Muslims - Congress
Uttar Pradesh Congress Vice President Vishwa Vijay Singh told Amar Ujala that today, Congress has become the biggest voice of the poor, Dalits, backward classes, and Muslims across the country who are being oppressed.

He said that whether it is the CAA-NRC issue or any other major issue, their leaders, Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, have taken to the streets to protest.

Vishwa Vijay Singh said that what the BSP or Mayawati do is their business, but as far as Dalits and Muslims are concerned, they will not leave the Congress and return because this community has seen that only Congress openly opposes the ideology based on which they are oppressed.

Muslims know the secret of Mayawati's silence - Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Mohammad Azam Khan told Amar Ujala that the Muslim community no longer has any doubts about Mayawati. He said that she only does things and makes statements that benefit the BJP. Through their meetings, they have only served to mislead and confuse Muslims.

He said that whenever action is taken against Muslims, Mayawati remains silent. Therefore, she no longer has the right to seek Muslim votes.

'Now the Muslim community wants politics of progress'
Mohammad Azam Khan said that today's Muslims want progress for their community. They are talking about education and employment in view of the new society. But other parties have no blueprint for the development of Muslims, whereas Akhilesh Yadav worked to strengthen Muslims in every way during his government.

He said that now, along with Muslims, the Dalit community is also not under any illusions and the SP will give a tough fight to the BJP in 2027.