Loss of dalit votebank major concern for BJP

New Delhi: The loss of dalit support in the Hindi heartland has become a major cause of concern for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Both the BJP and the RSS have now joined hands to try and consolidate the dalit votebank which, they feel, “is rapidly moving away” from the saffron party following attacks and atrocities on dalits.

Under its dalit outreach programme, the RSS recently invited chairman of Buddhist International Research Centre, Bhadant Shanti Mitr, to deliver an address on the concluding day of Sangh’s 20-day training camp, sources said.

The party high command has also asked its supporters and functionaries to prevent and swiftly act on reports of atrocities against dalits.

Saffron strategists told this newspaper that over the past few months BSP chief Mayawati has emerged as the “main threat” to the party in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the Hindi belt.

A BJP functionary pointed out that in Chhattisgarh BSP’s “vote share in the Assembly election last time was higher than the margin of victory for the BJP”.

With a united Opposition front gradually taking shape, BJP spin doctors are worried that the OBCs and the dalit vote banks could shift towards the proposed “mahagathbandhan”.

The BJP functionary quoted a report and said, “A dedicated votebank of largely dalits and a section of Muslims ensure that Mayawati is capable of transferring votes seamlessly to BSP’s alliance partners.”

Saffron party strategists apprehend that Mayawati is the “only leader” in the  Opposition camp who can dent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to tap the weaker section with his much flaunted slogan of “empowerment of the poor”.

According to Census 2011, dalits or Scheduled Castes comprise 16.6 per cent (201 million) of India’s population, up from 16.2 per cent in 2001.

BJP dalit Lok Sabha member Udit Raj told this newspaper that dalit are drifting away from party and immediate steps should be taken to keep them  with the BJP.

“In 2014 dalits voted for us en masse anticipating that the BJP will give what was not provided by other parties like Congress or others in 60 years. But the failure to stop atrocities against dalits has taken them away from the BJP. For victory in 2019, the BJP must retrieve its dalit support. The party is discussing ways to reach out to the dalit at the earliest,” said Dr Raj, who represents North West Delhi constituency.