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2024 LS polls: Mayawati calls BSP U.P. unit meeting on June 21
BSP chief Mayawati has called a meeting of her party leaders and office bearers in Lucknow on June 21 to discuss special political developments and equations related to the political situation as well as the preparations for the upcoming general elections. Her decision to hold the meeting before opposition parties? Patna meeting has sparked speculation that she may make some announcement over her party?s strategy or alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Ahead of the opposition parties’ meeting in Patna on June 23, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has called a meeting of her party leaders and office bearers in the state unit office in Lucknow on Wednesday (June 21).
In a tweet on Tuesday, Mayawati said, “In view of the rapidly changing political situation in Uttar Pradesh and the country, an important strategic meeting of BSP Uttar Pradesh state unit has been summoned in Lucknow tomorrow (Wednesday). All divisional and district level senior office bearers will be present there to discuss special political developments and equations related to the political situation as well as the preparations for the upcoming general elections etc.”
Mayawati’s decision to hold a meeting before opposition parties’ Patna meeting has sparked speculations in the political circle that she may make some announcement over her party’s strategy or alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Janata Dal (United) that is hosting opposition parties’ meeting in Patna has not extended invitation to the BSP while rivals Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary have been invited to the meeting.
Senior Janata Dal (U) leader KC Tyagi said, “The BSP has not been invited as it has not opposed the Modi government.” BSP MP from Bijnor Lok Sabha seat, Malook Nagar said, “The opposition parties’ alliance will not be successful without the BSP. The BSP polled around 13% vote in the 2022 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh. It has a strong support base in Uttar Pradesh to challenge the might of the BJP in the Lok Sabha election.”
“Though the BSP has not been invited to the opposition meeting, the party chief will take a decision over the pre-poll alliance with other political parties for the 2024 Lok Sabha election,” he said. Even as Mayawati has announced to go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, senior party leaders have urged her to opt for alliance with smaller political parties that enjoy influence in various regions and caste groups.
Mahan Dal led by Keshav Dev Maurya that enjoys influence over the other backward castes Shakya, Saini, Kushwaha and Maurya communities in central UP has extended unconditional support to the BSP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Mahan Dal was an alliance partner of the SP in the 2022 assembly election.
Maurya said, “The BSP has the support of the Dalit community voters. The support of OBC and Muslim voters will not only assist it in regaining its lost ground but also in winning seats in west and central Uttar Pradesh that was once the stronghold of the BSP. “
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar had also offered to join hands with the BSP after ending alliance with the Samajwadi Party. “If the opposition parties plan to challenge the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh, they cannot ignore the BSP,” he said.
All India Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi had also offered alliance with the BSP in the 2022 assembly election. Though the BSP rejected the alliance offer the AIMIM leaders are in contact with the BSP senior leaders to stitch an alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The AIMIM joined the Grand United Secular Front with the BSP, SBSP, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Samajwadi Janata Dal Democratic and Janvadi Party Socialist to contest the 2020 Bihar assembly election. The AIMIM secured victory on five seats while the BSP bagged one seat.
Senior BSP leader and MLC Bhimrao Ambedkar said, “BSP is a national political party that has base in several states. Party chief Mayawati became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for four terms. Rather than projecting a leader of another political party as PM, the BSP will project Mayawati as PM candidate. The BSP will welcome the like-minded parties that will support our PM candidate,” he said.
The BSP contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election in alliance with SP in Uttar Pradesh. It polled 19.43% vote and bagged 10 seats while SP won 5 seats. In the 2022 U.P. assembly election, the BSP polled 12.88% vote and bagged merely one seat. The party is working on Dalit-OBC-Muslim alliance to regain its lost ground in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
