BSP will contest 2027 UP elections alone: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will contest all elections across the country, including the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, on its own, and it would form a government with a full majority in the state, BSP chief Mayawati said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow on her 70th birthday, Mayawati said the party had decided that it was “more appropriate” to fight all small and big elections independently and would not enter any kind of alliance with any party.

“There should be no confusion about this. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will contest the next Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh alone,” she said. She, however, added that in the future, if the party became fully convinced that an alliance partner could effectively transfer its votes — particularly of upper castes — to the BSP, a positive decision on contesting elections in alliance could be taken, though she said such a situation would take years to materialise. Mayawati claimed that the people of Uttar Pradesh were once again inclined to bring the BSP back in power in 2027, recalling the party’s four previous terms in office. She said party workers were fully engaged to ensure the formation of a BSP Government with a full majority in the next assembly elections.

Attacking the BJP, Congress and other “caste-based parties”, she said the BSP would give them a fitting reply and form the party’s fifth Government in Uttar Pradesh. The BSP chief also raised concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs), alleging that manipulation and dishonesty had occurred in past elections, but asserted that her party would continue to contest elections across the country with full strength. She said opposition to EVMs was growing nationwide.

Mayawati accused previous Governments of neglecting BSP founder Kanshi Ram, alleging that national mourning was not declared after his death. She also alleged injustice towards Muslims and other communities, while asserting that no communal riots occurred during the BSP rule and that all sections, including Yadavs, were taken care of. Further, Mayawati said successive Governments at the Centre and in the state were merely renaming welfare schemes, “originally launched” during the BSP rule, for political gain without delivering real benefits to the people.

The “caste-based parties” were using all means to stall the BSP’s movement in the country, she claimed. “Our government gave due respect to Dalit icons. We installed statues, developed parks and launched schemes in their names. Today, other parties are imitating us.

They speak of Lord Ram but carry a knife under their arm,” she said. Paying tribute to Dalit leaders, Mayawati said she would continue to fight for the rights of Dalits as long as she remained alive and healthy. “I will neither bow down nor be intimidated. I will continue to fulfil the responsibility given to me by BSP founder Kanshi Ram,” she said.

The BSP chief said her government had honoured leaders such as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Narayana Guru and Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj by installing their statues and alleged that there was a conspiracy to weaken the BSP. Mayawati also claimed that the blueprint for major infrastructure projects, including expressways in Uttar Pradesh and the upcoming airport in Gautam Buddh Nagar near Delhi, was prepared during the BSP’s tenure.

“These projects would have been completed during our rule, but the then Congress-led central Government did not cooperate,” she said.

Accusing the previous Samajwadi Party Government and the current BJP Government of failing Dalits and other marginalised sections, Mayawati said people were distressed under both regimes.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also alleged that the law-and-order situation under the present Government was no better than during the Samajwadi Party rule.

“In such circumstances, the people of Uttar Pradesh are once again recalling the BSP’s four terms in power and have made up their mind to bring the party back to power,” she added. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav extended birthday greetings to Mayawati.

 Mayawati turned 70 on Thursday, with the BSP observing the day across Uttar Pradesh as ‘Jan Kalyankari Diwas’.