BSP eyes votes from Dalit, Muslim & OBC communities in urban body polls

BSP supremo Mayawati is holding review meetings with party leaders to prepare a strategy for the urban local body and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

LUCKNOW After losing much of its political clout due to consecutive defeats in the past few elections, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party has now decided to work on the “Dalit-Muslim-OBC” formula in western Uttar Pradesh to win seats in the upcoming urban local body polls.

The “Dalit-Muslim-OBC” formula will be followed by the BSP in the 2024 elections as well. (HT Photo)

Speaking on the party’s gameplan for municipal elections, a BSP leader said, “We are eying votes from the Dalit, Muslim & OBC communities in western U.P. take on the challenge posed by the SP- RLD alliance and the BJP.” Coming to the Azad Samaj Party (ASP), the BSP leader said, “BSP chief Mayawati is the tallest Dalit leader not only in U.P. but in the country. The ASP failed to make impact in the 2022 assembly elections. Dalit community will always prefer a BSP candidate over any other party.” The “Dalit-Muslim-OBC” formula will be followed by the BSP in the 2024 elections as well.

The remarks come in the wake of reports suggesting that SP-RLD alliance candidate Madan Bhaiya was backed by ASP chief Chandrashekhar Azad in the recently-held Khatauli by-poll. Bhaiya’s convincing victory over his BJP rival and ASP’s “support” to SP-RLD has alarmed the BSP camp. Besides, the party has also taken note of the Dalit community voting for SP candidate Dimple Yadav in Mainpuri by-elections.

On Sunday (December 11), RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary met ASP president Chandrashekhar Azad to strategise for local urban body and Lok Sabha elections. The ASP, along with SP-RLD alliance, will look to lure voters from Jat, Jatav, and Muslim communities to take on the BJP and the BSP in the coming elections.

Meanwhile, the BSP brass is facing criticism from party workers for not fielding candidates on Mainpuri, Khatauli, and Rampur seats, which went to by-polls recently. To pacify disgruntled party workers, BSP national coordinator Akash Anand put out a tweet saying, “BSP’s stand is very clear in electoral politics. You should keep three things in mind -- we do not contest by-elections; when we fight, we fight with full force; and BSP never compromises with the interests of the Bahujan Samaj.”

In addition, BSP supremo Mayawati is holding review meetings with party leaders to prepare a strategy for the urban local body and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Rebel SP leader Imran Masood, who joined BSP in October, has been entrusted with the task to mobilise the Muslim community in the west UP in BSP’s favour. The BSP is likely to give tickets to large number of influential Muslim candidates in urban local bodies elections to strike a chord with the community.