Mayavati,Mulayam

Lucknow, Nov. 11: Mayavati sees herself as Krishna, who is out to end the rule of “Kansha” Mulayam Singh Yadav.

At a meeting of over 900 district-level “Brahman Brotherhood” committee members — handed the responsibility of forging a Dalit-Brahmin alliance — the BSP leader lashed out against the law and order in the state.

Uttar Pradesh “is in the grip of an evil rule by a modern-day Kansha, that is chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav”, Mayavati told the meeting at her party headquarters here.

The BSP leader had picked up the cue from the party workers, who made repeated references to mythological Brahmin heroes like Parsuram and Dadhichi. “I will be a Krishnarupi Maya to put an end to this Kansha raj,” she said, to loud applause from the crowd.

“Brahman ki yehi pukar, Mayavati chauthi bar (Brahmins want Mayavati to return as chief minister for the fourth time),” they chanted.

Lest someone take offence, the Dalit leader who once would not tire of berating the “Manuvadis” — as she described the upper castes — was quick to clarify: “I am not saying I am a goddess. I am only echoing the sentiment of the people who want me to be a goddess.”

Mayavati, who has been looking to expand her support base beyond the backward castes, said the economic conditions of Dalits and Brahmins are not much different.

“Even Brahmins have been hard put because of the rising unemployment and poor representation in politics,” she said.

In each Assembly segment, a two-member committee made up of a Dalit and a Brahmin has been formed.

The committees will form a network of workers at the booth level to translate this new caste bonhomie into votes. However, law and order was the focus of her speech. “The moment I come to power, anti-socials will run away from the state and those who don’t, will be sent to the place they deserve to be in,” she said.