BSP in Bihar: 13 seats in six polls, a high of five

In February 2005, the first election after Jharkhand was carved out, the BSP tally dropped to two. However, in a fresh election eight months later, it improved to four seats. The party could not win any seat in the last election, in 2010, while polling 3.27 per cent of the votes in the 239 seats it contested.

[related-post]

“We are going to fight all seats this time,” Bihar BSP president Bharat Bind told The Indian Express. He said Mayawati would address her first meeting on October 9 and follow it up with rallies throughout the election. She has deputed former UP minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Rajya Sabha member Munquad Ali and UP BSP president Ram Achal Rajbhar to Bihar.

Though it is contesting all seats, the party’s focus is the region touching eastern Uttar Pradesh. Tilak Chandra Ahirwar, the BSP’s Bihar-in-charge, said the party has won 11 seats in the last 15 years and hoped to reach double digits this time. Although the BSP failed to win any seats in 2010, Ahirwar said it will do better now. “This time there is no wave of support for either Nitish Kumar or the BJP. Our focus areas include Kaimur, Sasaram, Gopalganj, Siwan and Buxar districts,” he told The Indian Express.

The electoral base of the BSP in Bihar comprises primarily the five per cent Jatav vote. The deployment of Siddiqui and Ali is aimed at at creating a wider appeal. Bharat Bind belongs to the backward boatmen’s community.