Mayawati’s renewed political aggression in Uttar Pradesh is raising a crucial question: is she preparing a strategy similar to the grassroots model of the RSS, aiming to rebuild her cadre and reconnect with every household before the 2027 state elections? Her recent rallies and decisions indicate that this time her target is not the BJP but primarily Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party, whose growing influence among backward and minority voters poses a threat to the Bahujan Samaj Party’s traditional base.
During a massive rally in Lucknow, thousands of supporters gathered, many carrying their own food, a rare sight in modern political events where crowds usually depend on party-sponsored meals. Senior journalist Amitabh Agnihotri interprets this as a clear sign of Mayawati’s silent but strong comeback. According to him, this was not just another BSP rally; it was a message that Mayawati’s loyal vote bank still exists and is waiting for her return to active politics.
A senior BSP leader reveals that Mayawati has agreed to conduct night camps across all 18 administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh and about seven districts of western Uttar Pradesh. In the last elections she held only a limited number of rallies, but this time the strategy is far more aggressive. Her political visibility reduced steadily after 2007, and it reflected directly in BSP’s performance. After winning 206 seats with over 30% vote share in 2007, the party fell to 80 seats in 2012, 19 seats in 2017 and just one seat in 2022, with a shrinking 13% vote share. The party believes that only a strong reactivation of the ground cadre can revive the lost momentum.
Sources say Mayawati is fully aware that leaving vacant space in Dalit politics allows new players to emerge. Leaders like Chandrashekhar Azad gained ground specifically when Mayawati remained politically distant. This time she is determined to prevent both Dalit and Muslim voters from slipping away. Her plan includes simultaneously consolidating her core vote bank and reaching out to Muslims to ensure they remain aligned with the BSP.
According to BSP insiders, Mayawati aims to hold at least six rallies and twenty organisational meetings in every district over the next year. She may also visit homes of select party workers to motivate them and rebuild personal connections. Her team is modelling this approach on Kanshi Ram’s grassroots style, which involved staying overnight in villages and spending time directly with workers. After becoming Chief Minister and later the sole supremo of her party, such deep engagement stopped. Now the BSP believes reviving this tradition is essential to rebuild morale.
The night camps are being designed with four goals. First, to reduce the emotional distance between leaders and workers by spending evenings and meals together like a family. Second, to collect honest feedback from the ground to shape the election strategy. Third, to expand the party by encouraging each worker to bring new supporters. Fourth, to send a clear message across Uttar Pradesh that Mayawati has returned and wants to revive the Dalit movement with renewed strength.
In addition, the upcoming strategy includes an indirect political assault on Akhilesh Yadav. Sources confirm that Mayawati and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi have already held discussions and a seat-sharing blueprint is nearly final. BSP spokesperson M.H. Khan says Mayawati has always supported Muslim candidates and any future alliance will be decided by her alone. Party leaders believe that a BSP-AIMIM understanding could split the Samajwadi Party’s Muslim-Yadav combine and weaken Akhilesh significantly in 2027.
