The Bahujan Samaj Party is using the occasion to leverage its sagging image and consolidating its "loyal" vote banks, ahead of next year's assembly elections. A section of the party has recently aired its frustration and disappointment and its worry in the coming local bodies elections, this summer.

 Agra with its more than three lakh Jatav population, most engaged in the traditional shoe making industry, has been in focus of BSP's political agenda. Both Dr BR Ambedkar and later BSP founder Kanshi Ram held Agra in high esteem politically.

"Baba Sahab's ashes were kept at the Chakki Pat Buddha Vihar in February 1957 by his son Yashwant Rao Ambedkar. Just before his death Dr Ambedkar visited Agra in 1956 and addressed a huge meeting of 50,000 dalits to announce his adoption of Buddhism," according to social activist Netra Pal Singh, a panel member of the children's probation house court.

 The whole city is lit up and the road crossings display decorated arches and welcome gates, even as loudspeakers blare Mayawati's speeches and Ambedkar's songs.

 The focus of celebration is the Bheem Nagri that has come up at the Ram Lila ground overlooking the Agra Fort. The model this year is inspired by emperor Ashoka's majestic palace in Buddhist style, measuring 240 feet and 125 feet high, built by trained craftsmen specially summoned from West Bengal.

 The organising committee secretary Bharat Singh said the state government agencies had identified 18 dalit mohallas for development works in the Bheem Nagri area, populated by one lakh people. This year the state government has earmarked `70 crore for development of the Bheem Nagri area. The projects include road-building, community toilets, street lighting, community hall, sewer and water pipelines.

 Dr. Munna Lal Bhartiya, spokesperson of the Jatav Mahapanchayat said 100 couples will be married during the celebrations. "The bridegrooms will arrive at the venue in one long procession from Idgah to the Ram Lila ground where they would be welcomed."

 The mile long procession with "jhankis" on social issues will start Thursday evening and after meandering through the main streets return to the main venue early Friday morning. Corruption and Anna Hazare will feature prominently in the Jhankis being planned, according to a member of the committee Dharmendra Soni.

District officials indicated that elaborate security arrangements had been made for the procession.

CCTV cameras will keep an eye and the whole route will be manned by apart from the senior officials, five ASPs, 22 COs, six inspectors, 350 sub inspectors, 25 women sub inspectors, 160 head constables, 2500 cops, ten companies of PAC and four companies of rapid action force. Movement of heavy traffic would remain restricted for three days.

The Agra dalits or Jatavs have emerged as a formidable political force in recent years and no party can now ignore this fact, say the political pundits. "The community is now graduating to a higher level from ordinary workers and artisans to entrepreneurs and many have become exporters, owners of hospital chains and hotels. The empowerment is a reality which is reflected in the overall economic growth of the Agra region as a whole, presently acknowledged as the land of opportunities," senior media person Rajeev Saxena.

The trend is changing, notes green activist Ravi Singh. "More dalits today are entrepreneurs, they are running businesses, hotels and hospitals, successfully heading export houses," adds eminent educationist Syed Jafri. "In past 25 years, due to government policies, liberal loans, there has been effective empowerment of this segment of the underprivileged. Now it is visible. The newly constructed shoe market of international standards, 80% shops are owned by the dalits. We are also noting a steady improvement in the living standards with more dalit children going to schools, learning English. If Agra is emerging as a happening place, it is because the ground level masses are politically sensitized and more aware of their rights," says Jafri who feels Muslims as a community have lagged behind slightly.

The Agra dalits today own shoe industries, carpet weaving factories, garages, hotels and hospitals.

Many top doctors are from this underprivileged class but they have successfully transcended their social ranks, says social activist Shravan. "More dalits today have pucca houses and their children go to English medium schools, lots of dalit youths are working in malls and courier companies. All this collectively is impacting economics. Also note there has been a degree of sartorial socialism, with people from all sections wearing stylish jeans and T-shirts," notes Ravi Singh, green activist.

Because of their total involvement in economic activities, we have had fewer caste clashes in recent years, and the whole community of dalits in the Agra region looks poised for a major leap ahead, said Abhinay Prasad, director of Adhar, an NGO which successfully ran an umbrella project for the shoe makers of Agra.