Mayawati stirs up Indian politics

By Krittivas Mukherjee

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An "untouchables" politician has emerged as a leader of India's opposition after the government's confidence vote victory, in a move that may erode support for the two major national parties before 2009 elections.

Mayawati, known as the "Queen of Dalits", said on Wednesday that 10 mainly regional-based opposition parties were uniting a day after the Congress party-led government won a vote that was marred by charges opposition lawmakers were bribed to abstain.

"The government won the vote of confidence but lost the trust of the nation," Mayawati, flanked by party leaders from north and south India as well as influential communists, told reporters.

The confidence vote was triggered by the withdrawal of the government's communist parliamentary allies to protest against a nuclear deal with the United States.

Mayawati emerged as one of the strongest organisers of opposition to the ruling coalition, and Wednesday's meeting was the latest sign of her growing influence.

She rose to prominence after her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won an outright majority in elections last year in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state that is also seen as one of its most lawless and corrupt.

Mayawati's support base in among Dalits, or "untouchables", who account for about 16 percent of India's 1.1 billion people and have traditionally been supporters of the Congress.

"Wherever the Congress has enjoyed the support of Dalits Mayawati will cast a shadow," said A.K. Verma, a leading political commentator from Uttar Pradesh.