Mayawati's plea: “Jats must support dalits” after BSP's disappointing Haryana election results

BSP leader Mayawati expressed disappointment on Wednesday regarding the Jat community in Haryana for not supporting her party in the recent assembly elections, emphasizing the need for a change in their mindset towards Dalits.

In New Delhi to commemorate the death anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram, Mayawati lamented that the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) did not yield the desired results for her party. She noted that in an effort to defeat the BJP and prevent it from retaining power, the Jat community voted for Congress, ultimately sidelining the BSP.

Mayawati pointed out that while Dalit votes shifted towards the INLD, Jat votes did not translate into support for her party. “BSP candidates received only Dalit votes. Had we garnered even two to three percent of Jat votes, we could have secured a few seats,” she stated. She acknowledged a change in the Jat community's mindset about Dalits in Uttar Pradesh but noted that a similar transformation has yet to occur in Haryana.

In the recent elections, the INLD managed to win just two seats, while the BSP failed to secure any. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP achieved a historic victory, winning 48 seats, significantly outperforming Congress, which secured 37 seats. Other parties, including the JJP and AAP, faced heavy losses.

Looking ahead to the assembly polls in Delhi, scheduled for February next year, Mayawati expressed optimism about her party's performance, suggesting that a triangular contest among the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress would benefit the BSP. She admitted that the party tends to struggle in direct contests, especially in states outside Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, Mayawati announced that the BSP plans to contest upcoming elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, expected next month.