Mayawati

Mayawati calls for smooth Winter Session to ensure debate on key issues

BSP chief Mayawati has appealed to both the ruling dispensation and the opposition to ensure a smooth and orderly Winter Session of Parliament so that crucial national and public-interest issues like air pollution in Delhi and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls can be discussed meaningfully. In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister cautioned that, like previous sessions, the Winter Session beginning Monday is expected to witness considerable uproar. However, she stressed that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) wants both Houses to function smoothly to allow substantive debate on urgent matters. She also highlighted the practical difficulties and objections arising during the ongoing SIR, along with the challenges faced by booth-level officers (BLOs), pointing to incidents of suicides allegedly linked to work pressure. These issues, she said, need to be addressed through proper discussion and effective solutions. Merely trading allegations will not help, the

BSP would win more seats if Bihar elections were free and fair: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday claimed that her party would have won many more seats in the Bihar assembly elections if the polls had been completely free and fair. In a post on X, she congratulated Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members for ensuring the victory of party candidate Satish Kumar Singh Yadav in the Ramgarh assembly seat (No. 203) in Bihar's Kaimur district. Although the administration and all opposition parties united in their efforts to defeat the BSP candidate under the pretext of recounting the votes, the courageous party workers' unwavering determination throughout the elections thwarted this conspiracy, the former chief minister claimed. "Not only this, despite giving tough competition to the opposition in other seats in this region of Bihar, BSP candidates failed to win. According to feedback, if the elections had been completely free and fair, the BSP would have certainly won many more seats. However, this did not happen," Mayawati said. "This should not cause any pan

Muslims should support BSP instead of SP, Congress to defeat BJP: Mayawati

BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday appealed to the Muslim community to unite and extend "direct support" to her party instead of the Samajwadi Party and Congress in order to defeat the "destructive politics" of the BJP in elections. Mayawati said that despite Muslims voting overwhelmingly in favour of the SP, the party has failed to defeat the BJP. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief made the remarks while presiding over a special meeting of the party's 'Muslim Samaj Bhaichara Sangathan' here. She also issued key directions aimed at strengthening the BSP's support base among Muslims. "From the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and several earlier elections, it has become evident that despite Muslims extending full support -- emotionally, physically, and financially -- the SP and Congress have failed to stop the BJP. In contrast, the BSP has managed to defeat the BJP even with limited Muslim support, and in 2007, it formed a majority government in the state," she said, according to

Rape of minor girl in Lucknow deeply saddening and shameful: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday termed the rape of a minor girl in Lucknow district "deeply saddening and shameful". In a post on X in Hindi, she said, "The gang-rape of a teenage girl in the Banthara area of the capital, Lucknow, is deeply saddening and shameful. Incidents of harassment, rape, and murder, along with harassment of women, are continuing unabated in various states across the country, including Uttar Pradesh." She also urged the government to take "effective steps" to prevent such incidents. "Forget about women's respect, their safety is paramount," the BSP president said. A minor Dalit student was allegedly raped by five men in the Banthara police station area on Saturday. Police have arrested a 20-year-old man from the Harauni railway station in connection with the alleged rape, an official said on Sunday. Two others escaped from a checkpoint in the village where a police team was stationed, the official said, even as one of them was shot in the

BSP to fight 2027 UP election solo, says Mayawati at Lucknow rally

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday said her party would contest the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on its own and ruled out any alliances. Addressing a rally in Lucknow, Mayawati said that alliances in the past had only helped partner parties, while the BSP's own vote base did not receive reciprocal support. "Based on our experience so far, I want to make it clear that whenever our party has contested Assembly elections in alliance especially here in Uttar Pradesh we have not benefited in any significant way," she said. "Our party's votes get transferred one-sidedly to the alliance partner, but because of their casteist mindset, upper castes do not transfer to BSP candidates. This is the reality. As a result, our candidates win fewer seats, and our overall vote share declines," the BSP chief said. Mayawati also pointed out that coalition governments involving the BSP never lasted their full term. "Whenever we have formed a coalition government (in UP), it

Ashok Siddharth apologises to Mayawati, seeks return to BSP after expulsion

Former BSP MP Ashok Siddharth, who was expelled from the party, apologised to party chief Mayawati in a social media post on Saturday, saying he deeply regrets making "mistakes", some of them under the "influence of wrong people". Ashok Siddharth, the father-in-law of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national coordinator and Mayawati's nephew Akash Anand, wrote that he "bows down at the feet of Behenji", asserting that he will never work outside party discipline and take "undue advantage" of kinship or personal relations. "I will never make a mistake in future," he said on a post on X, appealing to the BSP chief to allow him to return to the party. Ashok Siddharth, former MP of the party, was once counted among the prominent leaders of BSP. But on January 12, 2025, Mayawati expelled Ashok Siddharth from the party. On Saturday, Ashok Siddharth publicly apologised and said he made some mistakes while he was a party leader, which he deeply regrets. He further wrote that he "bows down at the

Mayawati promotes nephew Akash Anand as BSP national convener: Report

Bahujan Samaj Party national president Mayawati has promoted her nephew Akash Anand, appointing him as the BSP's national convener, party sources said. If the sources are to be believed, the post of national convener is second to that of the national president. Akash has now become the second most powerful leader, they said. Till now, Akash Anand had been playing the role of national coordinator. BSP UP unit president Vishwanath Pal, talking to PTI on Friday, confirmed that Akash Anand has now become the national convener of the party. Later, in a post on X, Pal said, "Many thanks to respected sister Kumari Mayawati ji for appointing Shri Akash Anand ji as the national convener of the BSP. Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to national convener Hon. Akash Anand ji. #JaiBhim." Pal's post was shared by senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra on X. However, the party has not yet issued any official statement about this new appointment. Pal said, "On the instructions of Behen

Political discourse turning toxic; parties must uphold principles: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday expressed concerns over the "declining level of politics" in the country, blaming self-interests of political parties for the trend. She urged all political parties to work in line with their constitutions and principles to safeguard interests of the poor and the common people. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister's comments came a day after alleged derogatory remarks were made about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his mother at an Opposition rally in Bihar. In a post on X, Mayawati said political discourse has become "toxic and violent" in recent years, especially during elections, even as India face mounting internal and external challenges. "It is extremely sad and worrying that, while parties are serving political self-interests, the level of politics is falling in the country," she wrote, adding that parties should act on their principles "in the interest of the nation and crores of poor and common people." Mayawati also

Mayawati slams BJP-led MP govt for banning sale of meat, fish in open

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday hit out at the recent decision of the newly-formed BJP government in Madhya Pradesh to ban the sale of meat and fish in open places and said that it is necessary to reconsider this controversial decision. In a post on X, Mayawati said, "Instead of taking the necessary decision of providing livelihood to the unemployed and other poor hard-working people, the newly formed BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has started suppressing those, who owing to shortage of employment opportunities, are self-employed by selling fish, eggs, meat etc. How is it appropriate? Reconsideration of this controversial decision is necessary." The newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday issued a directive prohibiting the use of loudspeakers at religious places beyond permissible decibel levels. Holding his first cabinet meeting after taking the oath of office, he also banned the sale of meat and fish in open places. "Not only th

Discuss Operation Sindoor by rising above partisan politics: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati said the discussion on Operation Sindoor, starting in Parliament on Monday, should be approached by both the ruling alliance and the opposition by "rising above partisan politics". The first week of disruption in Parliament's Monsoon Session is set to give way to a fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor from Monday as the ruling alliance and the opposition prepare to lock horns over the two issues steeped in national security and foreign policy imperatives. The BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and opposition parties are expected to field their top guns during the discussion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "The discussion on 'Operation Sindoor' starting in Parliament today should be approached by both the ruling party and the opposition by rising above partisan politics," Mayawati posted on X in Hindi. "Going forward, the government and the opposition should work together under a solid strategy to ensur

BSP's Mayawati takes jab at Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's 'job promises'

BSP chief Mayawati on Monday dismissed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's recent job-related promises as mere "rhetoric and electoral deception." The announcements, she alleged, were aimed at distracting from the "deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar" and questioned their credibility ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state. "In the midst of national discussions over the poor law and order situation in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the NDA government appears to be making announcements to divert public attention," Mayawati posted on X. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister particularly referred to Kumar's recent declaration that if re-elected, his government would provide employment to one crore people in the next five years. "Such a claim seems more like rhetoric and electoral deception, similar to the 'achhe din' slogan, rather than a practical promise, going by people's past experiences," she said. Mayawati alleged that most political parties ma

EC should take cognisance of violent incidents in Bihar: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati on Monday said the Election Commission should take cognisance of incidents of violence in Bihar, including the murder of Patna-based businessman Gopal Khemka, for the conduct of peaceful elections in the state. In a post on X, she spoke about the "deteriorating" law and order situation in Bihar ahead of the assembly polls laster this year. "The recent sensational murder of Gopal Khemka, a prominent industrialist and leader of the ruling party BJP, in Patna, has heated up the politics of the state in a new way," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. "If the Election Commission takes cognisance of this bloodshed and appropriate action right now, it will be better for conducting peaceful elections," she said. Khemka was shot dead by an unidentified armed assailant outside his house in Gandhi Maidan locality of Patna on Friday as he was about to alight from his car. His mortal remains were consigned to flames at Gulbi Ghat in Patna on Sunday. A large number

Mayawati slams UP govt for hyping routine police recruitment drive

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the recently held police recruitment drive, calling it a routine exercise that was unnecessarily hyped. She questioned whether all communities received fair representation and raised concerns over the quality and the future of the training being provided to the recruits. "The recent police recruitment in UP has been portrayed as if something extraordinary has been achieved, while in reality, such recruitment drives are part of routine administrative work to prevent backlog in the police department," Mayawati said in a post in Hindi on X. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asserted that the real concern among people is whether proper representation was given to 'Sarv Samaj' or all sections in the recruitment and whether the recruits would receive appropriate training. Citing the achievements during her tenure, Mayawati said, "During my government, to ensure the rule of law and ...

Unease around Akash Anand's political journey natural, says Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati on Monday said it was "natural" that there was some unease regarding the "ups and downs" of party leader Akash Anand's political journey and his recent appointment as the chief national coordinator of the party. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president cautioned against rival parties that align with the Congress, BJP and the Samajwadi Party, saying her party was the only true Ambedkarite party. In a post on social media platform X, Mayawati said, BSP is the only true Ambedkarite party committed to the welfare of the Bahujan community. It has a tradition of taking action in the party interest and taking them back if they show remorse." "It is natural for some people to feel uneasy about the ups and downs in Shri Akash Anand's political journey and his appointment as the party's chief national coordinator, she added. Mayawati's remarks come amid internal reshuffling within the BSP. A month after he was brought back into the party fold, Anand was appointed as the chi

Mayawati appoints nephew Akash Anand as chief national coordinator of BSP

The decision was taken at a national-level meeting on Sunday at the party's central office in Delhi's Lodhi Road

Mayawati condemns remarks on Col Qureshi, Cong wants MP minister's sacking

BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday condemned the purported objectionable remarks made by Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah against Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, terming them "deeply saddening and shameful." The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister demanded strict action to prevent communal disharmony and uphold the dignity of India's armed forces. In a strongly worded post on X, Mayawati said, "First the Foreign Secretary and then a woman officer of the Army have been subjected to disgusting, indecent and inappropriate remarks. This is actually an attempt to destroy the positive atmosphere of enthusiasm and pride prevailing across the country over the success of 'Operation Sindoor' carried out by the Indian Army against Pakistan. This is extremely painful and shameful." Col Qureshi was a prominent face during media briefings on Operation Sindoor, In a follow-up post, the BSP supremo said, "In this context, the indecent comment made by a senior Madhya Pradesh minister regarding

EC interacts with BSP chief Mayawati for better understanding of issues

The Election Commission on Tuesday held an interaction with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati here as part of an initiative to push for greater and regular engagement with different stakeholders, including political parties. BSP's national general secretary Satish Chandra Misra and party treasurer Shridhar were also present. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi spoke with the BSP leadership at the Nirvachan Sadan. The meeting is in continuation of the Election Commission's emphasis on fostering greater and regular engagement with different stakeholders. The poll authority has initiated interactions with national and state political parties to provide a long-felt need of constructive discussions which enable party chiefs to share their suggestions and concerns directly with the Commission. This initiative aligns with the Commission's broader vision of further strengthening the electoral process in accordan

Mayawati announces return of Akash Anand to BSP minutes after he apologised

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has extended an olive branch to her nephew Akash Anand, offering him another chance to serve the party just hours after he issued a heartfelt public apology

Mayawati's niece alleges dowry harassment; husband among 7 booked

In a case filed by BSP chief Mayawati's niece, an FIR was registered against Hapur Municipal Council Chairperson and six of her family members on charges of domestic violence, dowry harassment and sexual harassment on Thursday following a court directive, police said on Thursday. The woman married Vishal, son of Hapur Municipal Council Chairperson Pushpa Devi on November 9, 2023, said Rajeev Sharma, an advocate representing the complainant. "Since the marriage, the accused family allegedly used their political clout to demand a party ticket, Rs 50 lakh in cash and a flat as dowry," Sharma said. The complainant has further alleged that her husband used steroids for bodybuilding, which rendered him medically unfit for conjugal life. Frequent arguments followed, and on February 17, 2025, her father-in-law and brother-in-law allegedly attempted to sexually assault her, she said. After this, she returned to her parental home, the lawyer said. Despite lodging a complaint with the police

BSP churn likely to create vacuum in Uttar Pradesh's Dalit politics

Analysts predict bleak future unless the party reinvents itself and sheds its perceived BJP ties. Radhika Ramaseshan writes