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Mayawati plans BAMCEF revival to boost BSP prospects in 2027 UP assembly polls
BSP chief Mayawati is restructuring party ties with OBC communities to strengthen support ahead of the 2027 UP assembly polls through cadre camps and direct engagement.
In a bid to give an ideological boost to her party organisation ahead of the 2027 UP assembly polls and to win the support of the Other Backward Class (OBC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has called a meeting of party leaders and office-bearers of the All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) and OBC Bhaichara Committee on Saturday (November 1).
Mayawati plans to restructure the BAMCEF by appointing office-bearers in the district and assembly units who will work in coordination with local BSP units to overhaul the organisation at the grassroots and to gear up the party cadre for the crucial 2027 UP polls.
Along with spreading the party ideology, BAMCEF members also contribute to the party coffers. The organisation also assists the party in preparing the strategy for the assembly and Lok Sabha elections. “Instead of communicating through party leaders, Mayawati holds direct talks with the members of BAMCEF and seeks their guidance on political issues,” said a BSP leader.
Party founder Kanshi Ram had mobilised the Dalit community in Uttar Pradesh to capture political power. Born on March 15, 1934 in Punjab’s Ropar, Kanshi Ram left his government job to launch the BAMCEF in 1971. The aim was to spread the ideals of Dr BR Ambedkar among the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities. In 1981, he launched Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS4) for social awakening among the Dalit community.
In 1984, Kanshi Ram launched the BSP for the political empowerment of the Dalit community. He played an important role in the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in the 1993 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh to remove BJP from power after the demolition of Babri mosque in 1992. Later, he broke alliance with the SP to form a BSP government with the BJP’s support in 1995 when Mayawati became Uttar Pradesh CM.
The BSP formed the government four times in 1995, 1997, 2002 and 2007 in UP. Cashing in on the slogan of Dalit empowerment, the party spread its base in Uttar Pradesh. With a sizable presence of Dalits across the state, Kanshi Ram started strengthening the organisation. With Congress losing grip over the Dalit community, the task became easy. Kanshi Ram ensured that along with Jatavs, Pasi, Valmiki and dhobi communities’ workers were inducted into the party.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has organised OBC cadre camps in all the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh with the aim of winning the support of the backward communities that have been the backbone of the party since its launch in 1984.
After losing the 2012 assembly election, the party’s hold over the OBC community weakened with the BJP and SP gaining ground. To give a message to the OBC community, Vishwanath Pal was appointed BSP’s UP unit chief. The party has constituted two OBC Bhaichara committees at the divisional level that includes a leader from the OBC community and a Dalit.
Party leaders and office-bearers have been directed to hold OBC cadre camps in rural areas of all assembly constituencies. The party’s district chiefs and assembly unit office-bearers will tell the OBC people about the schemes launched by the BSP government for their welfare.
The party leaders will also enlighten the OBC about the party plan for the empowerment of the backward castes if the BSP forms the government in UP in 2027. The BSP chief had reviewed the progress of the cadre camps in the meetings held in the party state unit office in July, August and September.
The members of the backward communities, including Kurmi, Maurya, Kushwaha, Rajbhar, Pal, Nishad, Nai, Noniya, Bind, Mallah, Gujjar, Prajapati etc, have been inducted into the cadre camps. The Bhaichara committees that include members of various backward communities are also working to spread the base among the OBC.
