Kumari Mayawati, Bahujan Samaj Party National President, Chief Minister of Uttar Pardesh, BSP National President, Bahujan Samaj Party Leader, BSP Leader, Bahujan Samaj Party, iron lady kumari mayawati, iron lady, Honourable Sister

KUMARI MAYAWATI

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) or Majority People's Party is one of the only five prominent national political parties of India, which is the largest democracy of the world.

• Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh (Fourth-time)

• National President, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

• Member of Uttar Pardesh Legislative Council

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Electoral Performance

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NEWS & EVENTS

MAYAWATI : DALIT FIREBRAND

Friday, 3 May, 2002, 10:16 GMT 11:16 UK, BBC News

Mayawati Kumari was born into the low-caste Hindu Jatav, or Chamar, community.

Hoping to become a district magistrate, she studied law and worked as a teacher before embarking on her political career.

Her mentor, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Kanshi Ram, was keen to pass on his political mantle to her.

He is believed to have told his protege she was destined to become a queen who would control the fate of many district magistrates rather than be one of them.

The dream became a reality in 1995, when she took over as the first low-caste, or Dalit, chief minister to head any of India's state governments.

At the age of 39, the unmarried Mayawati was also the youngest politician to assume the chief minister's office in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state.

Although her government did not last more than four months the first time, Ms Mayawati's political journey had come full circle.

Symbol of dignity :
She became an icon for millions of Dalits, or "untouchables" as they used to be known.

For Dalits, she became a symbol of their dignity and political aspirations after centuries of oppression by the Hindu upper castes.

"Behenji", or sister, as she is endearingly called by millions of her supporters, returned as chief minister two years later at the head of a BSP-BJP coalition government, this time for six months.

It was not until the latest assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in February that her political acumen came to be recognised even by her fiercest critics.

She was given complete charge of the party by Kanshi Ram.

Broadens appeal :
The move has allowed her to come over as a shrewd politician, eager to emerge from the mould in which she had been cast by her mentor as leader of the Dalits.

For the first time in nearly two decades in politics, she toned down her anti-upper-caste rhetoric to broaden her support base.

She also fielded a large number of Muslims and upper-caste members as party candidates in an effort to win more votes.

One of the main criticisms of Ms Mayawati has been her unconventional approach.

Observers say they expect to see a new, more mature and more refined Mayawati in her new stint as chief minister.

With her image perhaps in mind, Ms Mayawati has a new look, sporting bobbed hair, instead of the oily plait and ponytails she had until two years ago.