India's queen of the untouchables shakes up politics

Published on 23/07/2008 21:54

AN "UNTOUCHABLES" politician has emerged as a leader of India's opposition, after the government won a vote of confidence, in a move that may erode support for the two major national parties before 2009 elections.

Mayawati, known as the "Queen of Dalits", said yesterday that ten opposition parties, mainly regional-based, were uniting a day after the Congress party-led government won a vote that was marred by claims members of the opposition were bribed to abstain.

"The government won the vote of confidence, but lost the trust of the nation," she said.

The vote was triggered by the withdrawal of the government's communist parliamentary allies to protest against a nuclear deal with the United States.

Mayawati emerged as one of the strongest organisers of opposition to the ruling coalition, and yesterday's meeting was the latest sign of her growing influence.

She rose to prominence after her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won an outright majority in elections last year in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state that is also seen as one of its most lawless and corrupt.

Her support base is among Dalits, or "untouchables", who account for about 16 per cent of India's 1.1 billion people and have traditionally been supporters of the Congress.

"Wherever the Congress has enjoyed the support of Dalits, Mayawati will cast a shadow," said AK Verma, a leading political commentator. But Maya-wati is also forging ties with regional, non-Dalit parties keen to hitch on to her bandwagon.

For Congress, hamstrung by record inflation, and the main Hindu-nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, the growing clout of Mayawati could mean they lose seats to her party. "Remember, half of India doesn't vote for either Congress or BJP," said Mahesh Rangarajan, a political analyst. "They vote for regional parties and what she is doing is to forge these parties."

If the results in Uttar Pradesh were replicated in a general election, the BSP could hold the balance of power in parliament by next year.

However, her party may have a hard task expanding beyond Uttar Pradesh as her caste alliance might not fit in other states. Also, she has been investigated for corruption, with reports of a lavish lifestyle.