Headlines
- Election Commission will start review after releasing the statistical report related to Lok Sabha elections
- BSP’s performance in the last Lok Sabha elections was very poor, it did not get even a single seat
- BSP got the status of national party in 1997, the party won 10 seats in the 2019 elections
BSP National party status , The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which once dominated the politics of the country and Uttar Pradesh, has now been marginalized. Its performance in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 has been very poor. It has got only 2.04 percent votes in this election. BSP is the only Dalit party at the national level, but after this disappointing performance, its status as a national party is in danger. After the Lok Sabha elections are over, the Election Commission conducts its traditional review. It is understood that in this review, BSP may lose its status as a national party.
In 1997, BSP got the status of national party
Kanshi Ram founded BSP in 1984 and later declared Mayawati as his successor. After this, BSP was recognized as a national party in 1997. Before the 2012 UP assembly elections, the party was seen continuously increasing its influence. However, after 2012, the party’s performance has been declining. Currently, there are six political parties in the country which have got the status of national party. These parties are – BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, National People’s Party, CPI(M) and BSP.
These are the rules for getting national status
If we talk about the rules for getting the status of a national party, then for this a party should get at least six percent of the total valid votes in four or more states in the last general election. Also, at least four of its MPs should win. The Election Commission gives the status of a national party to the party that meets these criteria. A party can also get the status of a national party if it gets at least two percent votes in the Lok Sabha elections and its candidates win in at least three states. The third condition for a party to get national status is that it should have received recognition as a state level party in at least four states.
BSP got 10 seats in 2019
Let us tell you that in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BSP had won 10 seats but this time it did not win a single seat. In the 2019 elections, it contested the elections in alliance with SP. This time the party fielded its candidates on 424 Lok Sabha seats including 80 in UP. Its vote percentage in the 2019 elections was 3.67 percent. Whereas in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, it got 6.17 percent votes and won 21 seats. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it got 4.19 percent votes but it could not win any seat.
EC may start review process
According to the Indian Express report, BSP is unable to fulfill the first two rules and conditions to retain the national status. It is also unable to fulfill the third condition of being a recognized party in four or more states. The report states that the Election Commission can start its review process after the statistical report related to the 2024 elections is released.