New battle ground drawn in UP?

The Congress-BSP turf war in Uttar Pradesh seems to have intensified in recent times.
Rahul Gandhi's increased frequency of visits in UP, the state once Congress party's bastion, has further infuriated UP Chief Minister Mayawati.

Rahul Gandhi has been wooing Dalit voters in the state, who now form the biggest chunk of Maya's vote bank. His repeated attack on the UP chief minister also fueled the fire.

The Congress, which has been desperately trying to restore its lost pride in the state, openly warmed up to Mayawati before the Assembly polls but the resounding success of the Dalit leader in the elections that followed poured cold water on Congress' plans.

A disappointed Congress, which did very badly in the assembly polls under Rahul Gandhi, realised that without UP, the party's prospects at the Centre were dim.

Congress strategy to field the Gandhi heir in UP politics led to a little sense of insecurity for Maya. She, in order to keep her base intact started attacking Rahul. Now the two parties are engaged in regular verbal duel.

Though, Rahul has been visiting various parts of the state espousing the cause of farmers, Dalits, minorities and OBCs, but the recent by-election results in the state show that Maya's influence does not seem to stop.
Mayawati in her own inimitable style has now demanded that the Centre giver her special package for drought hit Bundelkhand region or else she will withdraw support from the UPA government at the Centre.

The situation seems to have come to a flash point and it is likely that Mayawati will withdraw support any time soon.

Now it is to be seen how it affects at the national level as well crucial state of UP. Right now, BSP seems to have the edge but the Congress is trying hard to revive its past glory in the state, which returns maximum MPs to Parliament.

Is Mayawati's prime ministerial ambition coming in the way for a truce between Congress and BSP?

Is Congress ready to accept the fact that the days of its dominance are gone, and that an assertive Dalit leader like Mayawati should be given the chance to rule the country.