After scoring zero in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati rued that despite providing “proper representation” in the elections, the Muslim community has failed to understand the BSP’s efforts. She said that the party will now thoroughly analyse and take necessary steps in the party’s best interest.

Mayawati expressed gratitude to the Dalit community, particularly the Jatavs, for their support, while expressing disappointment with the Muslim community. Moving forward, the BSP will approach electoral opportunities for the Muslim community with greater caution, she stressed.

“The Muslim community, which is an important part of the Bahujan Samaj Party, has not been able to understand the BSP properly, despite being given adequate representation in past elections, including this Lok Sabha election. Therefore, the party will be more judicious in giving electoral opportunities to ensure we do not suffer losses in the future,” Mayawati said.

The BSP had previously struggled in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, failing to win any seats. However, in 2019, it secured 10 seats when it fought the election in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. However, four of its MPs defected to the BJP before the elections.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has delivered stunning results winning 37 of the 80 seats in the state. This time the SP fought the election with Congress as part of the opposition INDIA bloc. Mayawati refused to be part of any alliance.

This time, the BSP had fielded 35 Muslim candidates, the highest number among all parties.

A senior party official had said that the BSP chief has picked more Muslim candidates as the BSP aims to regain the support of the community to make a comeback in Uttar Pradesh politics. Even if 19% of the Muslims support the BSP, the party will be able to increase its tally in the Lok Sabha and legislative assembly, he said.

Mayawati worked on a rainbow coalition of Dalits-Muslims-OBCs-Upper Castes. By fielding candidates from diverse backgrounds including Muslims, upper castes, and OBCs, Mayawati wanted to convey a message of inclusivity. But the strategy has failed to benefit the party.

Political observers pointed towards the silence maintained by the BSP in this rather noisy election. Akash Anand, her nephew whom she disowned as her political heir and removed from the position of the party’s National Coordinator following legal action for making a derogatory remark against the BJP, had claimed that it was a well-calculated decision to avoid retaliation by the BJP.

On BSP’s performance since 2014, Anand had emphasised that the party’s core voter base is intact.

“Whether it is Congress or the regional parties, they are all struggling now. BSP is not the only party in it. In fact, at least BSP’s core vote back is intact even today. We have maintained our vote share in Lok Sabha elections since 2014. We believe our vote share will remain intact,” he said.