While some say it will ground Mishra’s political aspirations, the fact is that the chief minister has not disturbed his supporters ensconced in various ministries and the bureaucracy. But most of Mishra’s supporters feel his fortunes in the party now hinge on his performance in the legal arena.

On July 4, Mayawati announced at a party gathering that Mishra would now dedicate 80 per cent of his time to the legal matters relating to her government and the organisation. She also made it clear she would herself handle the task of getting upper castes into her party fold which, until then, was Mishra’s responsibility.

Before this happened, Mishra was the most important man in the BSP after party president Mayawati. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, he had dealt with the Left parties on her behalf, attended the Third Front meeting at Tumkur and, within the state, he had a helicopter at his disposal for campaigning.

As chairman of the state advisory council, he enjoyed the status of a cabinet minister. The council is empowered to review all development programmes and law and order.

The chief secretary, the principal secretaries of home and law, principal secretary (planning) and the principal secretary (finance) are its members. It is anybody’s guess how much time Mishra can now spare for the council.

The shrinking of Mishra’s role came after adverse court judgments in some important cases, like the Supreme Court refusing to stay the high court judgment that quashed the government’s decision to cancel police recruitment made during the previous Samajwadi Party regime, and the apex court admitting a PIL against the installation of Mayawati statues.

Party sources said most of the advocates who represent the state government in the High Court and the Supreme Court were selected by Mishra. On Wednesday, Mishra scored a victory for the UP government when the Supreme Court gave its go-ahead for the demolition of the Lucknow jail to pave the way for an ecological park. But there is long list of politically important cases pending, both in the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court, including the case of disproportionate assets against Mayawati.

Mishra’s supporters have not taken kindly to Mayawati’s public announcement over the new role for the man who was till the other day her most trusted political emissary when the CM was busy pursuing her avowed prime ministerial ambitions.