Mayawati's BSP to Contest Upcoming Assembly Polls Independently

Mayawati, leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has announced that her party will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir independently. Meanwhile, in Haryana, BSP will team up with the Indian National Lok Dal. The elections mark the first in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 was revoked in 2019.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati announced on Friday that her party will contest the forthcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir independently, while forming an alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana.

The announcement came swiftly after the Election Commission in Delhi released the election dates. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister expressed her enthusiasm for the long-anticipated elections in Jammu and Kashmir through social media.

The elections in Jammu and Kashmir, set nearly a decade after the previous ones, will take place in three phases starting September 18, enabling the region's first government formation post the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. The polls for the 90-member Haryana assembly are scheduled for October 1, with results being declared on October 4.

"Elections hold a significant role in democracy, as they offer solutions to numerous issues. Therefore, the announcement of the long-awaited assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir today is welcomed. This will allow political and democratic activities to take root there, as per the Constitution. The BSP will contest this election alone," Mayawati posted in Hindi on X.

Mayawati separately applauded the declaration of single-phase assembly elections in Haryana, emphasizing BSP's strong alliance with INLD to contest the election vigorously. In the 2019 Haryana assembly polls, BSP faced a dismal outcome, winning no seats and losing deposits on 82 of 87 contested seats, though securing 4.14% of the total votes.

The INLD, in the same election, won only a single seat, Ellenabad, contended by Abhay Singh Chautala, with similar losses on most of their 81 contested seats. Data from the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir elections revealed BSP's struggle, where it contested 50 seats but failed to secure any, managing a mere 1.41% of the total votes.

(With inputs from agencies.)