BSP Chief's Strategic Moves Ahead of 2027 Elections
In a significant political maneuver, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has initiated a major restructuring of her party with an eye on the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The latest in a series of strategic moves involves the reinduction of former party leader Jai Prakash Singh, seven years after his expulsion for controversial remarks against prominent political figures.
Jai Prakash Singh's Return and Apology
The BSP chief welcomed back Jai Prakash Singh into the party fold on November 7, 2025, following a meeting in Delhi. Singh, who belongs to the influential Jatav (Dalit) community, was not only reinstated but also appointed as the party in-charge for poll-bound West Bengal and Odisha.
This development marks a dramatic turnaround from July 2018, when Singh, then serving as BSP national vice-president and central coordinator, was expelled from the party. His removal came after he questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's credentials for national leadership, citing his mother Sonia Gandhi's "foreign origin." During the same meeting, Singh had drawn Bollywood analogies, comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "Gabbar Singh" and Mayawati to "Thakur" from the classic film Sholay.
Following his expulsion, Singh joined Chandrashekhar Aazad's Bhim Army but later distanced himself when Aazad formed the Azad Samaj Party in March 2020. Singh subsequently worked independently through his "Bahujan Mission Bachao, Desh Bachao" program while maintaining connections with the BSP.
After his reinstatement, Singh publicly apologized for his "past mistakes" on social media platform X, pledging to follow Mayawati's directives in the future. He told The Indian Express: "When I was out of BSP, I worked independently for the party for more than seven years. I had resolved to wait for my return to the party."
Broader Pattern of Reinductions and Family Dynamics
Singh's return is part of a larger pattern of political rehabilitation within the BSP. In September 2025, Mayawati revoked the expulsion of former Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Siddharth, who happens to be the father-in-law of her nephew Akash Anand. Siddharth was reappointed as the party's central coordinator for four states: Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Gujarat.
The family dynamics within the party leadership have seen considerable turbulence. Siddharth was originally expelled in February 2025 on charges of "anti-party activities" and was accused of "spoiling" Akash Anand's political career. The situation escalated in March 2025 when Mayawati removed Akash as BSP national coordinator before expelling him, citing his "coming under the influence" of his father-in-law Siddharth.
However, in a surprising reversal, Akash Anand was brought back into the party barely two months later and elevated to the position of national convener after initially returning as chief national coordinator.
Another significant reinduction occurred in September 2025, when former BSP central-state coordinator Nitin Singh rejoined the party after his February expulsion for "encouraging groupism and indulging in anti-party activities." He has been assigned to handle party affairs in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Revival Strategy and Electoral Context
These strategic reinductions form part of Mayawati's comprehensive roadmap to revive and rejuvenate the BSP ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections. The party has experienced significant electoral setbacks in recent years, managing to win just one seat out of 403 in the 2022 UP Assembly polls with its vote share dipping to 12.8%. The situation worsened during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when the party failed to win any seats.
A BSP leader explained the rationale behind bringing back experienced hands: "All the senior leaders who have been brought back into the BSP had risen through the ranks. They had spent more than a decade working in various positions in the party and have a good understanding of its mission and structure. Their experience would be useful in the party's aim of rebuilding itself."
In a significant outreach effort, Mayawati has also revived the BSP's "Muslim Samaj Bhaichara Sangathan" across Uttar Pradesh. This initiative aims to bring together the Muslim community with her traditional Dalit vote base. The organization had been suspended following the party's poor performance in the 2022 polls, when Mayawati had criticized the minority community for not supporting her party.
During a large rally near the Kanshi Ram memorial in Lucknow on October 9, 2025, Mayawati clearly stated that her party would contest the UP elections independently, ruling out any alliances. She urged party leaders and workers to intensify their efforts to bring the BSP back to power and make her chief minister for a fifth time.
With these strategic moves—combining the return of experienced leaders, family reconciliation, and renewed community outreach—Mayawati is positioning the BSP for what could be one of the most crucial political battles in Uttar Pradesh's recent history.
