Jai Bhim!! Of the three powers, social, economic and political, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar found political power easy to get. This is quite true in the democratic set up that political change is easy to bring compared to social and economic. Since 1936, when the first elections were held, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar participated in the elections and founded his own political parties. The journey from Independent Labour Party (ILP) to Republican Party of India (RPI) through All India Scheduled Caste Federation (AISCF) is guide to us in the matters related to how to get the political power. To have access to power, the political party is the must. It is an essential condition. As Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar sought broader alliances which will be politically effective, he also participated in the nation making process and commented on all different aspect that affect the India in general. He wrote books on Indian currency, on the federal financial structure and its efficacy, and he wrote on the communal issue that affected the country, that is, on Pakistan. Educated Dalits have ben shying away from the politics falling prey to the propaganda that politics is bad and only for the goons and illiterate people. However politics is more than elections. Though ultimately elections have to be fought and seats are to be won, there are many things to be done before the electoral contest. The participation in the process, of politicisation and democratisation, of the educated Dalits is dismal and next to nothing. The BSP demonstrated in UP that it is not impossible to get the political power if there is a proper strategy. The educated people from the Dalit caste must study the political trends in all different states and nationwide to understand the patterns and undercurrents. This is not difficult as there is enough information available. Politics can be studied systematically and analytically. The trends can be analysed and also changed by changing the factors that are creating it. There are various political parties scattered around different states, and there are Dalits all over India. However the Dalits are forefront in voting, they have not yet formed a consolidated and disciplined community as the case of UP is. There are lessons to learn from each other. The educated people must study all the trends,that includes, local, state and national trends. The crucial knowledge generated by this analytical study should be disseminated across the community. The educated Dalits have a definite role to play in achieve a political success. Yours in the Sangha, Mangesh Dahiwale
By: Sanjay Samant