How can Muslims desert me when Yadavs are with me?" - Mulayam Singh Yadav Mulayam Singh Yadav has proved several things in this election: never write him off; he is the undisputed leader of the backwards in UP; Muslims, by and large, remain faithful to him; and the tenuous Congress recovery has been not so much at his expense as at the BJP's. .

In the first phase of polling, it was the consolidation of backwards that helped Mulayam most in his strongholds as it compensated the partial loss of Muslims. The media hype about BJP dissident Sakshi Maharaj" role in the 30-odd constituencies of the Kalyan-Mulayam belt changed the vacillating mood of his followers in the subsequent phases. The message went down that Mulayam had performed best.

Mulayam also took great pains to shed his party's Yadav image. He made it a point to mention the caste configuration of his candidates such as 14 Rajputs against seven Yadavs. And, a section of Thakurs cut up with the BJP also came to his rescue.

Then, Muslims did not buy the whispers about an "understanding" between Mulayam and disgruntled BJP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who played a prominent role in the Ayodhya movement ... But even as the media was speculating about a change in the Muslim mood, a lonely Mulayam was doggedly holding conventions in the state capital and canvassing the community ..

Mulayam's strategy for success was:

Ø  Careful selection of candidates with caste configuration of the constituency in mind.

Ø  Well-oiled machinery backed by hard labour.

Ø  Consolidation of backwards to compensate Muslim loss. With Kalyan Singh getting sidelined in the BJP, he emerged as the undisputed backward leader. It is said that Mulayam is at his best when driven to the wall. The wrestler from Etawah has proved that again.

(Source: The Times of India, 11 October, 1999)