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Mayawati Kumari (born January 15, 1956) is a politician in India who currently the president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which is a national party though it is influential mainly in Uttar Pradesh. She has been the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh three times, briefly during 1995 and 1997, and from 2002 to 2003 with support from a nationalistic party BJP. Mayawati is the first Dalit woman to become the Chief Minister of any of India's states representing the social transformations in India. She belongs to Jaatav caste which is a dominant dalit sub caste in northern Uttar pradesh and her loyal constituency.
Life Before Joining Politics
Mayawati studied law at the University of Delhi and worked as a teacher before embarking on a political career as the protege of Kanshi Ram, the founder of the BSP.
Political Career
In her career as a politician she has won elections to the national and state assemblies in addition to serving as Chief Minister of Indian state of Uttar Pradesh sever l times.
In addition to her political base in Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati has sought to extend her political base to other states and has been regularly contesting elections from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Recently, she has been spreading out to upper castes and muslims in order to project herself as a national leader rather than being identified as just a dalit leader.
Despite facing stern challenge from leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan and Ramdas Athavale on claim over dalit vote bank, she has managed to emerge as one of the most recognizable Dalit faces in Indian Polity.Her influence is limited to her state of Uttar Pradesh, much like other casteist Dalit politicians
Recent Developments
Recently, she has got shot in arm by the verdict of the High court of Allahabad over the disqualification of MLA's from her party, the BSP, who had joined hands with Mulayam Singh Yadav, with whom she has uncomfortable equations since the infamous Guest House plot where the latter is accused of planning her assassination. Ajay Chautala, the son of a former Haryana Chief Minister, has accused Mayawati of being worth over Rs. 5000 crores (over $ 1 billion).
Corruption
Contradictory to her pro poor and pro dalit image she is accused for her alleged involvement in Taj Corridor Case and of having disproportionate assets, thereby living a lavish lifestyle. She has these cases along with scores of other corruption charges against her being investigated by CBI. Mayawati is reported to have used her political influence to get her cases delayed.
References
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