- Indian citizens closely following the fortunes of the political churning in the country would be wondering what’s happening to one of the most promising, widely recognizable, and hugely popular parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The Dalit-oriented party that came into existence courtesy of one of the modern-day activists like Late Kanshi Ram and ably led by the equally strong satrap like Mayawati has sadly become almost non-existent in the last few years. The successive electoral defeats at the hustings have rendered the once popular Dalit outfit struggling to survive even as other major players in Uttar Pradesh have marched along comfortably. The sliding of BSP from the political hierarchy in the last few years is also spectacular and concerning. Why?
PC: ThePrint
- What has gone wrong though? Mayawati commanded tremendous clout, heft, and traction among the marginalized communities offering not only hope but also a platform to feel wanted and feel proud about. BSP is struggling to stay relevant in the fast-altering political landscape, becoming increasingly apparent. As such, Mayawati’s ousting of her nephew from BSP recently and the reasons mentioned thereby are leading to confusion. Nonetheless, her electoral irrelevance won’t change one bit. What a fall it has been. Once pundits used to speculate that Mayawati could become India’s first Dalit PM. Dust is still thin on those columns and already everyone has reminded that she was the first UP CM to complete a full term.
PC: India Today
- If she had grander ambitions, it was with reason. However, 2014 LS results, in retrospect, signalled how new political waves would instead carry her in the opposite direction. BSP held on to a 20% vote share in UP but scored 0/80 seats. By 2024, even the vote share dropped to 10%. Today, Mayawati is making headlines for political house cleaning. But the kind of revival BSP well-wishers desperately wish for, isn’t to be seen. Not for the first time, she’s fired her nephew, otherwise understood as her heir apparent. Opinions are divided on whether this is because he was too big for his boots or too undersized. What’s fact is that a series of BSP politicians have taken the exit, to grow out of Mayawati’s shadow.
PC: NDTV
- As defeat after defeat ensued, she’s placed the blame not only on her political rivals but also, variously, Jats, EVMs, Muslims. Most plaintively, she’s observed her own people drifting away. Much of the drift has been BJP-wards – a social engineering success prefigured via a Dalit laying the first brick at the 1989 foundation ceremony for Ram temple. Also, it’s true that no Dalit politician currently commands the politics space like Mayawati once did. In other parties, they’re arguably mere cogs in the wheel, no matter how important. For some experts, experimenting with various parties and politicians speaks to increased self-confidence among Dalits, a deepening of democracy. Will Mayawati succeed in reviving the ailing BSP again? Let’s wait and watch.
, once a powerful political force representing Dalits under Mayawati's leadership, has experienced dramatic electoral decline with its vote share in Uttar Pradesh dropping from 20% to 10% over the past decade. Despite Mayawati's previous political prominence and impact, the party now struggles for relevance amid internal leadership issues and the migration of its traditional Dalit voter base toward parties like the BJP.){kind=link}