Somewhere in London....

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi elevated arch-rival Mayawati to a pedestal by identifying to a global audience the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh as a big symbol of women’s empowerment. Sonia, mapping the march of liberation movement of Indian women for the annual London Commonwealth lecture on Thursday, said, “The chief minister of India’s most populous state is a woman from a section of society subjected to discrimination for centuries.” The special mention for Mayawati came amid an assertion that India’s President, Speaker and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha were women while they also headed four national parties. The remark has surprised observers and party insiders alike, as it comes amid a bitter battle that Congress is locked in with the dalit outfit for revival in politically important Uttar Pradesh. The senior Gandhi’s acknowledgement of the rival’s stature may look to bolster Congress’s acceptability among the BSP vote base.The gambit is not new. Many outfits have tried to appropriate the BSP support base by upholding Mayawati’s preeminence among the vast dalit base. BJP’s objective behind propping her up as chief minister thrice was to tap into the 21% voters of Uttar Pradesh.