Amid Chants for ‘Behenji Phir Se CM Bano!’ at Lucknow Rally, Mayawati Ends up Praising Yogi

Lucknow: In a bid to revive the fortunes of her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Mayawati on October 9 launched an assertive political campaign in Lucknow, targeting the Samajwadi Party (SP) while extending cautious praise to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

The BSP chief launched a sharp attack on the SP and Congress, holding them responsible for undermining Dalit icons and weakening welfare initiatives. 

“The SP government ignored the Dalit memorials built during our tenure and let them fall into disrepair,” Mayawati said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

“The SP is two-faced; it remembers Dalits only when it is out of power but forgets them when in government,” she said. 

Then, turning her attention to Congress, she accused the grand old party of hypocrisy: “The Congress keeps talking about saving the Constitution, but it was the same party that denied Babasaheb Ambedkar the Bharat Ratna and weakened the Constitution during the Emergency.”

Interestingly, Mayawati reserved her most measured words for the current Adityanath-led BJP government, commending its maintenance of Dalit heritage sites. 

“The state government has, to some extent, ensured the upkeep of parks and monuments through ticket funds,” she noted, contrasting this with what she called the SP’s apathy. 

Also read: Calculated Gamble or a Costly Slip? Mayawati's Praise for BJP Blunts Her Assault on SP's PDA Agenda

The statement has stood out as a rare instance of the BSP supremo praising the BJP on a public platform.

On October 9, the death anniversary of the BSP’s founder Kanshiram, Mayawati declared that the party would contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections independently and called upon party workers to work resolutely to make her chief minister for a fifth term. 

Speaking for nearly an hour at the Kanshi Ram Memorial Sthal, the BSP supremo addressed a range of political and social issues – from the “I Love Mohammad” poster row to the April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. 

She also raised Dalit issues in general terms but avoided speaking about any specific recent atrocity incident. 

A sea of blue enveloped the Kanshi Ram Memorial Sthal, spread across sprawling lawns and sandstone pathways. Supporters from districts across Uttar Pradesh, as well as from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, arrived in buses and private vehicles, including jeeps, while carrying blue flags adorned with elephant symbols. 

Women in blue sarees and men wearing blue scarves raised slogans of “Jai Bhim! Behenji zindabad,” hoping for the resurgence of the BSP that once commanded an absolute majority in the state in 2007.

Mayawati’s speech blended nostalgia for Kanshiram’s movement with a call for political discipline. “Every worker must take a pledge to bring BSP back to power in 2027,” she declared. “Only a BSP government with a full majority can ensure justice for Dalits and protect the Constitution.” 

She also appealed to her cadre to not waste their votes on other parties, claiming that the BSP alone represented the true interests of Bahujans – Dalits, Adivasis and backward communities.

Without naming him directly, she took a dig at parliamentarian Chandrashekhar Azad, the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) leader from western Uttar Pradesh, saying that Dalits must “reject self-sell-out groups that weaken the movement.” 

The BSP supremo also addressed speculation about SP leader Azam Khan possibly joining the BSP. She dismissed rumours around an alliance or secret meeting with Khan or his family. “I have not met any opposition leader or their family,” she said. “I never meet anyone secretly – I always meet openly.”

Show of strength – and a line against persecution

Speaking to The Wire, a 45-year-old BSP supporter, Vishwanath Pasi from Raebareli, said, “This feels like the old days when BSP rallies were a show of strength.” 

However, Pasi did not agree with Mayawati’s opinion about Chandrashekhar Azad: “Behenji (a title given to Mayawati by her supporters) is senior and powerful, but she should not hesitate to work with young Dalit leaders like Chandrashekhar Azad for the greater interest of the community.” 

Meanwhile, Mayawati also touched upon the Pahalgam terror attack, describing it as “a tragedy that destroyed the sindoor of many women.” While she criticised the Modi government's security management, stating that "proper arrangements could have prevented this attack," she commented on the Union government’s push for economic self-reliance, saying that the BSP “welcomes indigenous efforts, but they must be implemented sincerely and in the public interest.”

At the same time, she accused successive governments at centre – both BJP and Congress – of misusing central agencies to target her and her family. 

“They have implicated me and my relatives in frivolous cases. The Income Tax Department and CBI hounded us, and even when Congress came to power, we got no relief. Only the court gave me justice,” she said, reinforcing her long-standing image of political persecution.

The rally also served as a platform to highlight internal party leadership. Mayawati praised senior leader Satish Chandra Mishra as the “Brahmin face” of the BSP who had strengthened the party’s outreach beyond its Dalit core. She lauded her nephew, Akash Anand, calling the BSP supporters to “stand firmly with him just as you stood with me during and after Kanshiram’s life.” 

Despite Mayawati’s softened tone toward the BJP, some BSP supporters expressed unease about the ruling party’s economic and social policies. 

Suresh Chandra Jatav, a 51-year-old from Sandila, said, “BJP’s politics revolves around centuries-old mandirs (temples), but our community needs modern schools for our children and jobs for youths.” 

Deepak Chowdhry, a 20-year-old student from Unnao, was more direct: “Privatisation is reducing job opportunities and limiting reservation benefits. The government must stop selling public institutions, and Behenji should protest against it.”

Women at the rally voiced frustration regarding unemployment and the state of welfare schemes. Sudama, who had travelled from rural Kanpur, said, “We don’t want to survive on 5 kilos of ration. We want jobs for educated youth and land for the landless. Behenji can do it again if she returns to power.”

'What is the meaning of such a big crowd?'

Yet, Dalit activists were more critical of the speech’s content. Arun Khote, a long-time Dalit rights campaigner, said, “It was a grand rally but lacked substance on recent atrocities. 

Khote said, “Mayawati should have mentioned the lynching of Dalit man Hariom Valmiki in Raebareli or the attack on CJI B.R. Gavai. Without addressing such incidents, the event feels more like a show of strength than a stand for justice.”

He added, “What is the meaning of such a big crowd? It's merely a show of strength for political bargains if issues affecting Dalit rights and dignity are not raised.” The BSP had, however, reported the Justice Gavai incident earlier on social media.

After years of dwindling influence – winning just one seat in the 2022 assembly elections and securing around 9% of the 2024 Lok Sabha vote share – Mayawati’s challenge remains steep. The BSP has no representation in parliament and only one MLA in the state assembly. 

However, the rally’s large turnout suggested that her appeal among core Dalit voters still endured. The mood among attendees was one of cautious optimism – a belief that the rally might mark the beginning of a new chapter for the BSP.

Groups of supporters continued to chant, “Behenji phir se CM bano! (Behenji, be CM again!)” 

The rally also symbolised a return to Mayawati’s grassroots-style campaigning after years of limited public appearances. It sought to revive the emotional connection between her leadership and the Bahujan Samaj’s aspirations for dignity, representation and justice. 

“The energy was reminiscent of 2007,” said Gaya Singh Dinkar, a former lawmaker of the BSP. “If Behenji continues holding such rallies across the state, the elephant will march again,” says Kumar Manish, a Malihabad-based party worker. 

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