With Mayawati asking Satish Chandra Mishra — the BSP’s Brahmin face and believed to be the architect of the famed Sarvajan formula — to focus on legal matters and bail out the beleaguered state government embroiled in a string of PILs in various courts, speculation is rife in the party ranks about his future.

While some say it will ground Mishra’s political aspirations, the fact is that the chief minister has not disturbed his supporters ensconced in various ministries and the bureaucracy. But most of Mishra’s supporters feel his fortunes in the party now hinge on his performance in the legal arena.

On July 4, Mayawati announced at a party gathering that Mishra would now dedicate 80 per cent of his time to the legal matters relating to her government and the organisation. She also made it clear she would herself handle the task of getting upper castes into her party fold which, until then, was Mishra’s responsibility.

Before this happened, Mishra was the most important man in the BSP after party president Mayawati. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, he had dealt with the Left parties on her behalf, attended the Third Front meeting at Tumkur and, within the state, he had a helicopter at his disposal for campaigning.

As chairman of the state advisory council, he enjoyed the status of a cabinet minister. The council is empowered to review all development programmes and law and order.

The chief secretary, the principal secretaries of home and law, principal secretary (planning) and the principal secretary (finance) are its members. It is anybody’s guess how much time Mishra can now spare for the council.

... contd.