The results of general elections have spelt doom for Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttarakhand. The party was continuously increasing its vote share in the State and impressed everyone with 15.29 per cent vote share in the general elections of 2009 but the recently concluded elections show that the vote share of BSP has reduced drastically to 4.71 per cent.
The BSP was hoping for a good show in Uttarakhand, the hope was not without base as the party which polled 6.77 per cent of total votes in the general elections of 2004 jumped to 15.29 per cent vote share in 2009 general elections. The party has pockets of influence in Haridwar and Nainital districts and it was able to win three seats in Haridwar district in the Assembly polls of 2012.
In the lok Sabha election of 2014 the BSP had pinned it hopes on Haridwar and Nainital parliamentary seats as both constituencies have a substantial Dalit and minority votes. The BSP played its Muslim card in Haridwar and Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar as it gave party ticket to Hazi Mohammad Islam from Haridwar and laique Ahmed from Nainital. The party was more focused in Haridwar as the minority and Dalits constitute 45 per cent of the 15.52 lakh strong electorate. Interestingly the party got an impressive 23 per cent votes in Haridwar in the general elections of 2009.
The party’s plans were however dashed as Hazi Mohammad Islam could bag only 1,13,663 votes in Haridwar and forfeited his security. The party was jolted by the revolt of its two MlAs Haridas and Social Welfare Minister Surendra Rakesh during the run up for the elections and its effects were shown in the results.
In Nainital the former IAS officer laique Ahmed could secure only 59,245 votes and failed to create any impact on the electorate.
One of the senior party leader of party admitted that the party failed to take its message to the masses and the Muslim-Dalit card which the party played in the state did not clicked. He said that the party need to be restructured in the State and grass root workers should be given more importance in the affairs of the party.