Mumbai, July 4: In what might turn out to be a watershed in Dalit politics in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s home state, Maharashtra, Dalit leaders are likely to give up their traditional alignment with ‘secular’ parties like the Congress and the NCP and, instead, shake hands with parties like the Shiv Sena and the BJP, who were considered ‘untouchable’ for their ‘communal’ politics.

As reported earlier by The Indian Express, on April 5, 2008, Dalit leaders are under tremendous pressure from their followers to reconsider their political strategies for the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The leaders plan to change their earlier stance, based on ideological grounds — of supporting ‘secular’ parties to prevent ‘communal’ ones from coming to power — and keep their options open.

The trigger is the changing political situation, with OBCs emerging an important factor, and the simmering discontent against ‘secular’ parties that have failed to keep their promises for the past several decades. Four months ago, the Shiv Sena that rules the Thane Municipal Corporation made two Dalit corporators in Thane — Nagsen alias Bhaiyasaheb Indise and Jitendra Indise — chairpersons of the standing committee and the transport committee, respectively. This led to an intensified demand by Dalit groups to bring about a change in political strategies.

One Dalit leader, Jogendra Kawade, who heads the Peoples’ Republican Party and leads one of the four major Dalit groups in the state, announced that his party would support BJP’s Nitin Gadkari for the MLC seat from the Nagpur graduates’ constituency. Kawade, who is a product of the Namantar movement of renaming Marathwada University after Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, has a considerable following in parts of Maharashtra and had resigned from his legislative council seat after the Khairlanji massacre.

The other Dalit leader who has openly given up alliance with ‘secular’ parties is Namdeo Dhasal, the founder president of Dalit Panthers, who formed an alliance with the Sena a decade ago. The Dalit Panthers, formed in 1972, was a militant force of educated Dalit youths and literary figures. The group ushered in Dalit literature, shaking the Marathi literary world. Dhasal writes a column in Sena’s mouthpiece, Saamana.

“For the first time, we have an opportunity of bringing together Dalits and OBCs that form a major chunk of voters,” a senior Dalit leader said. “In the past, orthodox Hindus used the OBCs against us. Now, with OBCs, too, enjoying the fruits of reservations, a bond is building up between the two. We want to utilise this situation to see to it that the interests of the Dalits, OBCs and minorities are protected. The Congress and similar parties have taken us for granted all these years. It’s time we make them realise their mistake and come to power. For that we may go in for unusual alliances. Once we achieve power, we’ll be in a better position to protect our interests. Even if we succeed in a limited manner, we’ll hold the key to power for other parties and dictate terms,” he added.  

The reconsideration of political strategies by Dalit groups has also been influenced by the Mayawati brand of politics that believes that the end justifies the means and that gaining power is the most important thing.

Maharashtra has a population of over 10 crore with a Dalit population of 11 per cent, including seven per cent Buddhists. They are divided into about dozen factions of the Republican Party of India. Ramdas Athavale, Prakash Ambedkar, Jogendra Kawade and R S Gavai lead the four major groups. While Athavale’s faction is an ally of the NCP, Gavai is pro-Congress and is the Governor of Bihar. Prakash is yet to make his alignment clear and Kawade had decided to support the BJP.