Heads-Up 2016: Post Lok Sabha debacle, BSP rebuilding for 2017 civic polls

Aware of the potential impact of the RSS campaign to woo Dalits, the BSP is yet to unveil a strategy to counter it.

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Mayawati’s party, routed out of the Lok Sabha, returned to prominence during zila panchayat polls and is now rebuilding its organisation.

Looking back

After the Lok Sabha failure, the BSP got a fillip in UP as it won over 700 zila panchayat wards. At central level, the BSP was among the Opposition parties that extended support to the GST. For most part of the year, however, it chose to keep a low profile, as it focused on building a viable caste combination ahead of the UP elections. It is working on a consolidation of Dalits and Muslims, with focus on youth — nearly 50% office-bearers at lower levels are under 35.

Looking forward

One task the party has set itself is countering the Sangh Parivar’s effort to appropriate Dr B R Ambedkar’s legacy. Aware of the potential impact of the RSS campaign to woo Dalits, the BSP is yet to unveil a strategy to counter it. Municipality elections are due in January in a year that is crucial to laying the foundation for approaching the 2017 polls.

One thing that did not happen

With modest hopes in the Bihar elections, the BSP fielded candidates in 237 of the 243 seats — the highest number by any party. It could not win a single seat.

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