Since the time Mayawati gained political prominence, she and the BSP have celebrated her birthday with great elan and made it a special occasion. But this time, Mayawati said her 63rd birthday was even more special: not only is it being celebrated as parliamentary elections are around the corner, Mayawati made history by aligning with the Samajwadi Party, her erstwhile sworn enemy.

Mayawati seemed pleased with herself as she addressed the media at the BSP’s palatial headquarters in Lucknow. And with good reason. The way she has lately shaped her politics: from drawing a nil in the last parliamentary elections, having zero MPs in the Lok Sabha and a minuscule 19 MLAs in 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly (less than five percent of total strength of Assembly where seven years ago she ruled with absolute majority) to being the most sought after alliance partner by the secular parties.

The most important announcement she made at this press conference — and to all concerned in the wider world — is that she looks at the upcoming parliamentary election as a Narendra Modi versus Mayawati battle (though in not so many words).

Thus far, it was her new-found allies, Ajit Jogi or Chautalas, or Kumaraswamy or leaders in her own party, who pitched her as a prime ministerial candidate: a direct challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but today she thought it prudent to declare herself as the prime challenger to the PM.

While she is challenging Modi, the message was loud and clear for Rahul Gandhi and Congress and the likes of Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu, all of whom have prime ministerial ambitions.

Mayawati said, “This election is being held to decide who will be prime minister...” The BSP chief appealed to her voters and supporters to vote for BSP and its allies (without mentioning any names) in Uttar Pradesh and across the country. She added that this time, the prime minister would be from Uttar Pradesh, conveniently forgetting to mention that Modi is the MP from Banaras and Rahul is the MP from Amethi. Later, she re-released her autobiography Mere Sangrashmai Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka safarnama.

About an hour after Mayawati bared her prime ministerial ambitions, her new-found ally Samjwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who in the last parliamentary election was pitching his father Mulayam Singh Yadav for the top post, turned up at the BSP supremo’s residence to offer her his best wishes.

As Akhilesh's wife Dimpal shares her birthday with Mayawati, there was speculation there could be joint celebrations by SP-BSP cadre, but that didn’t happen. Mayawati had a message for BSP and SP workers: forgive and forget about the incident at state guest house in Lucknow on 2 June, 1995, when Kanshiram and Mayawat, then allies of Samajwadi Party were attacked by SP goons because the latter thought she going to withdraw support from Mulayam Singh government.

Mayawati was critical of Modi, BJP and RSS, but what was most interesting was that she was unsparing in her criticism of the Congress. She alleged Congress wrongdoing in the first weeks of its new government in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. She also took on Rahul's pet loan waivers for farmers formula, pointed out the follies in its implementation in these three states, and stated how loan waiver was not a solution for farm distress and how it benefits select farmers.

It should be noted that until recently, the Congress was hopeful of being part of SP-BSP alliance and even named it the Mahagathbandhan. Rahul repeatedly expressed optimism about such an alliance, but Mayawati in her characteristic way snubbed the Congress. She was very harsh on the Congress — blaming the grand old party for not doing anything substantive for poor, Dalit, tribals during the decades of its political hegemony at the Centre and states — even as she positioned herself directly against Modi. She argued why this was the time to give her a chance: pitching herself as a new alternative to the Congress, which she said has a history of failing the public.

To further strengthen her prime ministerial pitch, Mayawati said she will she move to New Delhi to celebrate her birthday in the national capital and hold deliberations with allies outside Uttar Pradesh. BSP leaders from other states have been asked to land in Delhi by evening to greet her and, time permitting,  seek her advice on how to proceed in the next election. Mayawati will be in Delhi for a week, where she will negotiate with present and prospective allies. She will return to Lucknow next week to hold a final round of meetings with BSP office-bearers.