Mayawati Criticizes Jat Community’s “Casteist” Mindset Post Haryana Poll Loss
BSP Chief Mayawati attributed her party’s poor performance in the recent Haryana Assembly elections to the “casteist mindset” of the Jat community, urging them to change their mentality.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday voiced her disappointment over the party’s defeat in the Haryana state elections, blaming the “casteist” mentality of the Jat community for the results. Mayawati’s BSP had contested the elections in alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), a regional political outfit, but failed to secure a significant number of votes.
BSP Suffers Setback in Haryana Assembly Polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a convincing victory in the state, clinching 48 seats, while the Congress bagged 37. The INLD, which aligned with the BSP, managed to win only two seats, and three seats went to Independent candidates, according to data from the Election Commission of India.
The BSP garnered only 1.82% of the total vote share, while its ally INLD received 4.14%. These figures reflect the challenges faced by the alliance in gaining traction among voters in Haryana, where caste dynamics have historically played a decisive role.
Mayawati Urges Jat Community to Change Their Mindset
In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), Mayawati expressed her discontent with the electoral outcome, stating that despite the BSP’s effort to transfer votes to INLD, the Jat community’s “casteist mindset” prevented the party from achieving success. She noted that BSP candidates lost some seats by a narrow margin and attributed this to the lack of support from the Jat community.
Mayawati also pointed out that the Jat community in Uttar Pradesh had moved past caste-based biases, allowing BSP candidates to be elected as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and even hold ministerial positions. She advised the Jat community in Haryana to follow suit and evolve from such divisive ideologies.
Mayawati Thanks Supporters, Reaffirms Commitment
Despite the disappointing results, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister extended her heartfelt gratitude to BSP supporters and party members for their relentless efforts during the campaign. She assured them that their hard work would not go in vain and emphasized the need to continue striving for the party’s ideals and goals in future elections.
The Haryana election results have further exposed the complexities of caste politics in the region, posing significant challenges for parties like the BSP that aim to expand their influence beyond their traditional voter base.
