Bahujan Samaj Party

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Bahujan Samaj Party
Chairperson Mayawati
Secretary-General Satish Chandra MishraDr. Suresh Mane, Naseem Uddin Siddiqui, Swami Prasad Maurya
Leader in Lok Sabha Rajesh Verma
Leader in Rajya Sabha Mayawati
Founded 1984
Headquarters 12, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road,
New Delhi - 110001
Newspaper Adil Jafri, Mayayug
Ideology Dalit Socialism
Secularism
Social Engineering
Political position Centre-left
Colours Blue
Seats in Lok Sabha
21 / 545
Seats in Rajya Sabha
15 / 245
Seats in UP Legislative Assembly
80 / 403
Website
bspindia.org

Politics of India
Political parties
Elections

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) (Hindi: बहुजन समाज पार्टी) is a centrist national political party in India with socialist leanings. It was formed mainly to represent Bahujans (literally meaning "People in majority"), referring to people from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes (OBC) as well as minorities. The party claims to be inspired by the philosophy of B. R. Ambedkar. The BSP was founded by a Dalit charismatic leader Kanshi Ram in 1984, who was succeeded by Mayawati in 2003. The party's political symbol is an Elephant. In the 15th Lok Sabha the party has 21 members, making it the 4th-largest party. The BSP has its main base in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Contents

Origin of the word "Bahujan" [edit]

The Pali word Bahujan is popularly found in the literature of Buddhism. Lord Buddha used this word to guide his disciples to work for the "Bahujan Hitay Bahujan Sukhay" (Meaning: Benefit and prosperity of majority people). Another meaning of the word Bahujan is people in majority. The BSP has historically drawn a loyal base of voters from India's lowest caste (Dalit). It has attempted to grow nationally as well, but has met limited success so far. Its current majority government in Uttar Pradesh was in large part due to a reach-out towards other castes, even some members of the upper castes.

History [edit]

Bahujan Samaj Party claims to represent the low and lowly. A man carrying the BSP flag.

The party was founded in 1984 by Kanshi Ram . Due to his deteriorating health in the 1990s, former school teacher Mayawati became the party's de facto leader. The party's power grew quickly with seats in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and India's Lower House of Parliament. In 1993, following the assembly elections, Mayawati formed a coalition with Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Yadav as Chief Minister. In mid-1995, she withdrew support from his government, which led to a major incident where Mulayam Singh Yadav was accused of keeping her party legislators hostage to try to break her party. Since this, they have regarded each other publicly as chief rivals. Mayawati then sought the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to become Chief Minister on June 3, 1995. In October 1995 the BJP withdrew support to her and fresh elections were called after President's Rule.

Success in 2007 UP assembly elections [edit]

The May 11, 2007, the Uttar Pradesh state assembly election results saw the BSP emerge as a single majority party, the first to do so since 1991. The BSP President Ms. Mayawati began her fourth term as Chief Minister of UP and took her oath of office along with 50 ministers of cabinet and state rank on May 13, 2007, at Rajbhawan in the state capital of Lucknow. Most importantly, the majority achieved in large part was due to the party's ability to take away majority voters from their traditional party, the BJP.

BSP is now the third largest national party of India having more than 10% vote share across the country.

2012 UP assembly elections [edit]

The party could manage only 80seats (against 206 in 2007 assembly elections) due to anti-incumbency factor. BSP government was the first in the history of Uttar Pradesh to complete its full five-year term.[1] On 11 July 2012, the party in a major revamp, replaced Swami Prasad Maurya by R A Rajbhar as President of UP Unit.[2]

Controversies [edit]

The BSP has recently been embroiled in controversy due to its leader, Mayawati's penchant for erecting her own statues along with her political mentor Kanshi Ram, and B.R. Ambedkar throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh mainly Lucknow which is the capital and Noida/Greater Noida which is her home town.

Secret successor of Mayawati [edit]

On 9 August 2003, Mayawati declared that she had chosen a successor from the 'chamar' community and is 18–20 years her junior. She has penned down his name in a sealed packet left in the safe custody of two of her close confidantes. The name of the successor will be disclosed on her death.[3]

Lok Sabha (Lower House) [edit]

Lok Sabha Term Indian
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested		 State ( seats )
09 th Lok Sabha 1989 245 03 2.07 4.53 Punjab ( 01 )
Uttar Pradesh ( 02 )
10 th Lok Sabha 1991 231 02 1.61 3.64 Madhya Pradesh ( 01 )
Uttar Pradesh ( 01 )
11 th Lok Sabha 1996 210 11 4.02 11.21 Madhya Pradesh ( 02 )
Punjab ( 03 )
Uttar Pradesh ( 06 )
12 th Lok Sabha 1998 251 05 4.67 9.84 Haryana ( 01 )
Uttar Pradesh ( 04 )
13 th Lok Sabha 1999 225 14 4.16 9.97 Uttar Pradesh ( 14 )
14 th Lok Sabha 2004 435 19 5.33 6.66 Uttar Pradesh ( 19 )
15 th Lok Sabha 2009 500 21 6.17 6.56 Madhya Pradesh ( 01 )
Uttar Pradesh ( 20 )

| 164 | 67 | 11.12 | 28.52 |- | 13 th Vidhan Sabha | 1996 | 296 | 67 | 19.64 | 27.73 |- | 14 th Vidhan Sabha | 2002 | 401 | 98 | 23.06 | 23.19 |- | 15 th Vidhan Sabha | 2007 | 403 | 203 | 30.43 | 30.43 |- | 16 th Vidhan Sabha | 2012 | 403 | 80 | 25.91 | 25.95 |}

Other states where BSP has a presence [edit]

Bihar Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Bihar
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
10 th Vidhan Sabha 1990 164 0 0.73 1.41
11 th Vidhan Sabha 1995 161 2 1.34 2.66
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2000 249 5 1.89 2.47
13 th Vidhan Sabha Feb. 2005 238 2 4.41 4.50
14 th Vidhan Sabha Oct. 2005 212 4 4.17 4.75
15 th Vidhan Sabha 2010 243 0 3.21 3.27

Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Chhattisgarh
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
2 nd Vidhan Sabha 2003 54 2 4.45 9.4
3 rd Vidhan Sabha 2008 90 2 6.11 6.11

Delhi Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Delhi
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
1 st Vidhan Sabha 1993 55 0 1.88 2.42
2 nd Vidhan Sabha 1998 58 0 3.09 3.63
3 rd Vidhan Sabha 2003 40 0 5.76 8.96
4 th Vidhan Sabha 2008 69 2 14.05 14.05

Haryana Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Haryana
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
8 th Vidhan Sabha 1991 26 1 2.32 7.67
9 th Vidhan Sabha 1996 67 0 5.44 7.2
10 th Vidhan Sabha 2000 83 1 5.74 6.22
11 th Vidhan Sabha 2005 84 1 3.22 3.44
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2009 86 1 6.73 7.05

Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Himachal Pradesh
General Election]		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
7 th Vidhan Sabha 1990 35 0 0.94 1.76
8 th Vidhan Sabha 1993 49 0 2.25 3.0
9 th Vidhan Sabha 1998 28 0 1.41 3.28
10 th Vidhan Sabha 2003 23 0 0.7 2.02
11 th Vidhan Sabha 2007 67 1 7.40 7.37
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2012 67 0 1.7 2.02

Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Madhya Pradesh
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
9 th Vidhan Sabha 1990 183 2 3.54 5.89
10 th Vidhan Sabha 1993 286 11 7.05 7.86
11 th Vidhan Sabha 1998 170 11 6.15 11.39
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2003 157 2 7.26 10.62
13 th Vidhan Sabha 2008 230 7 8.97 9.29

Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Maharashtra
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
8 th Vidhan Sabha 1990 122 0 0.42 0.98
9 th Vidhan Sabha 1995 145 0 1.49 2.82
10 th Vidhan Sabha 1999 83 0 0.39 1.24
11 th Vidhan Sabha 2004 272 0 4.0 4.18
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2009 287 0 2.35 2.42

Punjab Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Punjab
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
10 th Vidhan Sabha 1992 105 9 16.32 17.59
11 th Vidhan Sabha 1997 67 1 7.48 13.28
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2002 100 0 5.69 6.61
13 th Vidhan Sabha 2007 115 0 4.13 4.17
14 th Vidhan Sabha 2012 117 0 4.28 4.28

Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan Sabha Term Rajasthan
General Election		 Seats
Contested		 Seats
won		  % of
Votes		  % of Votes in
seats contested
9 th Vidhan Sabha 1990 57 0 0.79 2.54
10 th Vidhan Sabha 1993 50 0 0.56 2.01
11 th Vidhan Sabha 1998 108 2 2.17 3.81
12 th Vidhan Sabha 2003 124 2 3.97 6.40
13 th Vidhan Sabha 2008 199 6 7.60 7.66

Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha [edit]

Vidhan S 70 3 12.19 12.19

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://eciresults.nic.in/PartyWiseResult.htm
  2. ^ "BSP replaces U.P. chief". 12 July 2012. 
  3. ^ Nerve - News and Analysis of India. "Mayawati talks of a secret successor : India". Nerve.in. Retrieved 2012-07-12. 

External links [edit]

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