For years, Mayawati's birthday was an unabashed over-the-top moment for her party. (File photo)
For years, Mayawati's birthday was an unabashed over-the-top moment with crores spent on decorating Lucknow and memorials dedicated to her and other Dalit leaders.
But this year, the traditional pomp and ceremony has been abandoned by her Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP. At a rally planned in a large public park on the outskirts of Lucknow, there will be no cake, song and dance, or arrival-by-helicopter for the former chief minister who turns 58 today.
The austerity drive is to demonstrate the BSP's empathy for the victims of the communal riots that blazed through Muzaffarnagar in the western part of Uttar Pradesh in September. Nearly 60 people were killed and 40,000 forced into refugee camps.
So those who show up to see Mayawati - anticipated in lakhs - will receive blue caps which cost Rs 10 each and are emblazoned with the party name and symbol - the elephant.
The caps are the BSP's iteration of the 'topis' that Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has turned into a symbol of political uprightness.
A massive tented city called "Mayanagar" has been set up at the rally grounds to house attendees trickling in from more than 10 states across the country.
The BSP, known for its organising skills, has issued ID cards for every person attending the rally. Food, firewood and blankets for everyone have been stockpiled.
The rally will launch Mayawati's campaign for the national election, due by May. Uttar Pradesh elects 80 parliamentarians. 21 of them are currently from the BSP.
The BSP leader is expected to urge her votebank - largely Dalits - to ignore other parties vying for their attention.