Kanshiram's sister says Mayawati must step down, forms anti-Mayawati front in Agra

After being thirty years in existence in the politics of India, the Bahujan Samaj Party is facing the biggest existential crisis in its history, having lost all seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections which could affect its recognition as a national party.

If this was not enough, the supporters of BSP founder Kanshiram are now threatening to divide the party, demanding that Mayawati step down from the post of party president.

Announcing the formation of 'Bahujan Movement Bachao Andolan' at the historic Bhimnagri ground of Gopal Pura in Agra on Monday, BSP founder Kanshiram's sister Swarn Kaur said that the Bahujan Samaj Party was founded for the welfare of the dalits all over India but it has now become a personal fiefdom of its current president Mayawati who has created a dictatorial regime within the party.

She said that Mayawati only used the name of Kanshiram to gain entrance into the party hierarchy and then took over the party. But the Bahujan Samaj has awakened now and it is demanding that Mayawati step down immediately. Ms Kaur said that Maywati's policies have brought the once glorious BSP to the ground and it has suffered humiliating defeats in both the UP assembly elections as well as the Lok Sabha elections.

Attributing this downfall to the fact that the BSP has moved away from Kanshiram's principles, Ms Kaur said that Kanshiram's beliefs were the only reason for the BSP's rise in national politics and diversion from those policies has led to a meteoric downfall of the party. She said that she does not want to become the party chief but would definitely have a say in the selection of an able party president who could carry Kanshiram's mission forward.

However, this announcement of the formation of a parallel front inside the BSP did not go unchallenged and the dissidents were attacked twice by Mayawati supporters and could only be brought under control once the police arrived.

Reacting on these attacks, Bahujan Movement's convenor PK Kureel said that Mayawati is misusing the name of Kanshiram and making truckloads of money by exploiting the dalits who have blindly followed her in the name of Dr BR Ambedkar. He said that these attacks on the Movement workers were sponsored by the Bahujan Samaj Party and orchestrated by the local party functionaries who are still loyal to Mayawati. But the Movement will not be affected by these petty attacks and soon it will assume a national form.

Later, talking to India Today, BSP's zonal coordinator Sunil Chittod said that Swarn Kaur and her supporters are misusing the name of Dr BR Ambedkar and Kanshiram for their personal gain. He said that the Dalits are still loyal to Mayawati and Bahujan Samaj party and the party is always working for their welfare, no matter what Ms Kaur may claim.