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Mayawati amends strategy in four poll-bound states
Earlier, addressing party leaders, Mayawati had announced that the BSP would go solo in the assembly elections in the four states. She had also made it clear that the party would not release an election manifesto. After the announcement of the assembly election schedule by the Election Commission, the BSP announced alliance with Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The BSP has also released an election manifesto for the assembly elections in Telangana.
Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati is amending the party’s election strategy in poll bound Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, making a shift from the set rules of the party to challenge rivals in the electoral battle.
Earlier, addressing party leaders, Mayawati had announced that the BSP would go solo in the assembly elections in the four states. She had also made it clear that the party would not release an election manifesto.
After the announcement of the assembly election schedule by the Election Commission, the BSP announced alliance with Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The BSP has also released an election manifesto for the assembly elections in Telangana, promising jobs to youths, land to the poor, house to the homeless, reservation in jobs to women and distribution of free washing machine and smartphones among women.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati had made it clear that the BSP would not release an election manifesto, “rather we will go into the election battle with the performance of the previous BSP governments in UP,” she had said and added the rival parties misguided and lured the people with promises in their election manifestoes.
BSP’s Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam said, “The party is amending its election strategy in the poll-bound states according to the need required to challenge the might of the rival parties. The BSP is working to emerge as a major player in the formation of the governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.”
The BSP chief will address eight rallies in Rajasthan in support of the party candidates. The rallies will be held on November 17, 18, 19 and 20. She will address two rallies in Chhattisgarh on November 9 and two rallies in Telangana on November 22 and 23. She will address eight public meetings in Madhya Pradesh on November 6, 7, 8 and 14.
The BSP had opened its account in Rajasthan assembly from 1998 assembly elections. It polled 2.17% votes and bagged 2 seats. In the 2003 assembly elections, the BSP polled 3.97% vote and again captured 2 seats. In 2008 assembly elections, the party increased it vote graph to 7.60% and bagged 6 seats. In the 2013 assembly elections, the vote share declined to 3.37% while it secured victory on 3 seats and in 2018 elections, it increased its vote share to 4.03% and bagged 6 seats.
In Chhattisgarh, the BSP is witnessing decline in its vote share since 2003. It polled 6.94% votes in 2003, 6.12% in 2008 and 4.29% in 2013. The vote shares further declined to 3.9% in 2018. The BSP has won at the most two seats in the state that was once the ‘karma bhoomi’ of its founder Kanshi Ram who contested the 1984 Lok Sabha election from the Janjgir seat.
In Madhya Pradesh, the BSP polled 7.26% vote and won two seats in the 2003 assembly election. In 2008, when the BSP was in power in Uttar Pradesh, the party’s vote share in Madhya Pradesh increased to 8.97% and it won seven seats. In 2013, it polled 6.29% votes and won four seats. In the 2018 assembly elections, its vote share declined to 5.01% with a tally of two seats.
The Azad Samaj Party led by Chandrashekhar Azad, who enjoys influence over the Dalit community voters, has also announced to field candidates in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.
