Eye on 2027 polls, why BSP revived Dalit-Muslim-OBC committees in UP — but skipped Brahmin panel

How strong has the party’s support among upper castes been? Here’s what the last four Assembly elections show:

In the 2007 polls, when the BSP had bagged 206 seats — the party’s best-ever performance — its social engineering formula of forming an alliance of Dalits, Muslims, OBCs and upper castes had worked in its favour. Then, as many as 20 of 51 Brahmin candidates that it fielded were elected to the Vidhan Sabha. Ahead of the election, the party had held organisational meetings focused on Brahmins.

In 2012, when Mayawati lost to the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Akhilesh Yadav became CM, only seven of BSP’s 51 Brahmin candidates were elected.

In 2017, the BSP gave tickets to 52 Brahmins and only four of them could win.

Between July and August 2021, the party had held “prabudha varg vichar gosthis (special meetings involving Brahmins)” where party leaders used to say that 13% Brahmin votes plus 23% Dalit votes would add up to 36% of the vote share — enough to win elections in UP. Any party with over a 30% vote share forms the government.

In 2022, the BSP fielded candidates from all castes but only a single candidate, from the Thakur community, won. Following the results, where it was reduced to one seat, the party had suspended the committees.

In October this year, the BSP revived the Muslims Samaj Bhaichara Sangathan with two coordinators — one Muslim and the other from the Dalit community. Likewise, the party revived the OBC Bhaichara committee. It similarly has two coordinators from the OBC and Dalit communities.

Asked about the Brahmin Bhaichara committee, a senior BSP functionary said, “Behenji [Mayawati] has told us that upper castes in UP are already politically aware, and, therefore, there is no perceived need to create a separate bhaichara organisation to connect them with the party. Upper castes will form an association with the BSP when they see that their interests are protected in this party.”

Another leader explained, “Dalits, OBCs and Muslims are oppressed sections of the society. Dalits are the BSP’s core voter base. First, the party has to reunite Dalits and connect them to OBCs and Muslims. When the BSP gets back its basic strength with the consolidation of Dalits, OBCs and Muslims, and when upper castes see that the party is in a strong position, the Brahmin, Thakur and Vaishya communities who are upset with the BJP will come to our support. We are working with this premise.”

The leader added that at the October 9 mega rally in Lucknow marking the 19th death anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram, Mayawati had announced that national general secretary S C Misra would lead outreach to Brahmins, while MLA Uma Shankar Singh would do the same for the Thakur community.

However, sources in the party said no structured programme to reach out to Brahmins and Thakurs has been started yet. Singh could not be reached for comment as he is abroad. Misra did not respond to messages on queries about the Brahmin outreach programme and bhaichara committee.