Eyeing UP comeback, struggling Mayawati hopes to revive a 2007 formula

BSP chief Mayawati has sought to tap into what she describes as disenchantment among Brahmins

• BSP appoints two Brahmin leaders as incharges for 2027 UP polls
• Mayawati aims to revive 2007 social engineering strategy
• BSP plans to field Brahmin candidates in around 80 constituencies

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Signalling a return to the Bahujan Samaj Party’s 2007 social engineering formula, party chief Mayawati has put the Brahmin community at the centre of her 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly poll strategy by appointing two Brahmin leaders as incharges of key seats.

Ashish Pandey has been named incharge of Madhogarh in Jalaun district, while Vinod Kumar Mishra has been appointed incharge of Mungra Badshahpur in Jaunpur district. In the BSP, the appointment of assembly incharges is treated as the first step towards finalising candidates. These are the first names announced by the party for the 2027 polls and both belong to the Brahmin community.

BSP state unit president Vishwanath Pal said the party would go to the electorate with the slogan Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay in 2027. He said members of the Brahmin community were being given organisational roles from booth committees to assembly-level committees. Mayawati has earlier indicated that Brahmins would get tickets in good numbers and be given due respect in the party.

Kamal Jayant, a political analyst said: “Mayawati is not just announcing candidates early, she is trying to rebuild trust with Brahmins that the BSP lost after 2012. The signal is clear. The party wants to recreate the old social coalition before rivals lock in their bases.”

Sources in the party said the BSP is planning to field Brahmin candidates in around 80 constituencies. Nearly 50 tickets are likely to be finalised by June to allow candidates to begin groundwork in their areas. Seats where the party lost by narrow margins in the last assembly elections are expected to see early announcements.

In the run-up to 2027, the BSP leadership has been signalling to Brahmin voters that the party stands with them and would restore their role in government and in the organisation if it returns to power. A BSP leader said the Brahmin vote remains decisive in several seats across Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh and Braj, and early candidate selection is aimed at gaining an edge over rivals.

“In regions like Purvanchal and Bundelkhand, even a small swing in Brahmin votes can change outcomes. Mayawati is betting that dissatisfaction with the BJP will create space for the BSP to re-enter this segment,” said Manoj Bhadra, a senior journalist. “Early announcements give the BSP a head start on booth-level mobilisation. But symbolism alone will not work. The party will have to convince Brahmin voters that it can still convert support into real political power,” he said.

The BSP has faced repeated setbacks since 2012 and currently has only one MLA in Uttar Pradesh. Its performance in recent Lok Sabha elections also dented its support base among Muslim voters. The leadership is now seeking to revive the 2007 social engineering strategy under which Brahmin candidates were given significant representation and ministerial positions.

The strategy had propelled the BSP to a majority government in 2007, but the party’s Brahmin support later shifted to the BJP in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections. In 2022, the BSP won only one seat while the BJP secured a second consecutive term in the state.

Mayawati has sought to tap into what she describes as disenchantment among Brahmins. Addressing party workers on February 7, she alleged that Brahmins were being neglected and felt insecure under the BJP government, and that they had received respect, power and security during the BSP’s rule. She also claimed that political interference in festivals, worship and bathing rituals had increased in recent years, leading to disputes and tensions. Referring to recent controversies in Prayagraj over bathing rituals and mutual allegations, she said such issues reflected a growing problem.

While the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are also reaching out to Brahmin voters, BSP leaders said the party has moved first in formally rolling out its outreach.

On Mayawati’s directions, central coordinator Akash Anand is expected to launch a campaign tour by the end of April, with roadshows and public meetings planned in constituencies where candidates are announced early. After the assembly elections in five states, senior leaders including Ashok Siddharth, Jaiprakash and Ramji Gautam are likely to focus on Uttar Pradesh. Before that, Akash Anand is scheduled to address a rally in Bharatpur on March 15 on the birth anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram.