In comeback bid, Mayawati to hold massive rally in Lucknow on Kanshi Ram’s death anniversary on Oct 9

In a big effort to revive the lost glory, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati is set to hold a major rally at the Kanshi Ram Memorial Ground in Lucknow on the death anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram on October 9.

The rally, scheduled to begin at 9 AM, is being seen as a crucial event in BSP’s political revival in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections.
The rally will also focus on BSP’s Bihar assembly poll strategy.

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This event marks Mayawati’s return to active politics after a period of political dormancy. Political observers are calling it her “comeback rally”, as she attempts to reconnect with the BSP’s core Dalit, backward caste, and minority vote base that has drifted away from the party in recent years.

BSP has set an ambitious target of bringing five lakh supporters to the rally from all 403 assembly constituencies across the state. Each assembly constituency has been assigned quotas, with at least 5 vehicles per constituency transporting supporters. Party district-level officials and assembly in-charges have been given clear responsibilities.

Mayawati will be on stage for three hours, a rare move. The stage will include seven other top BSP leaders, including Anand Kumar (Mayawati’s brother), Aakash Anand (her nephew and party’s National Coordinator) and Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP’s national general secretary).

Unlike her previous rallies where she sat alone, this time she will share the stage, signaling unity and second-line leadership visibility.

The biggest visual change will be on the stage itself. BSP sources say that for the first time in years, Mayawati might allow others to speak before her, breaking with tradition.

The rally will also likely feature announcements about new organizational strategies, future political roadmap, and clarity on leadership succession, especially regarding Aakash Anand.

One of the key purposes of this rally is to reintroduce Aakash Anand as a leading face of the BSP in Uttar Pradesh. While he has been active in national politics and other states, this is expected to be his formal political re-launch in the state ahead of the 2027 elections. The move is aimed at energizing the youth within the Dalit community and ensuring continuity in leadership.

After the rally, Mayawati is expected to hold private meetings with select party workers and representatives from each district. These interactions will help her get direct ground-level feedback and shape the BSP’s strategy going forward.

The initiative is being seen as part of BSP’s broader organizational restructuring.

A new slogan, “Ration nahi, Shasan chahiye – Lucknow chalo” (We don’t want ration, we want governance – Let’s go to Lucknow), has been widely promoted through posters, social media, wall paintings, and village-level meetings.

Another slogan gaining traction is: “Dalit, Pichhda, Alpashankhyak ki Awaaz, Bahujan Samaj ka Naya Aagaaz” (Voice of Dalits, Backwards, and Minorities – A new beginning for Bahujan Samaj).

Mayawati’s political fortunes have dwindled sharply since her historic win in 2007, when BSP formed the government in Uttar Pradesh with a full majority. In the 2022 assembly elections, the party won just 1 seat with 13% vote share, and in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it failed to win any seat in UP, garnering only 9.39% votes.

With the Dalit vote bank increasingly being courted by the Congress-SP alliance, Mayawati’s biggest challenge is to retain and revive her core support base. This rally is being positioned as a message of resilience, reaffirming that despite setbacks, BSP and Mayawati are ready to fight back.

Mayawati has personally assigned roles for the rally’s smooth execution. Senior leaders including Vishwanath Pal, Dhanshyam Chandra Kharwar, Suraj Singh Jatav, Munkad Ali, Girish Chandra Jatav, Naushad Ali, Akhilesh Ambedkar, and others have been entrusted with rally preparations.

Special teams from BAMCEF and BVF are handling crowd management at the venue and at key locations like Charbagh Railway Station. A dedicated logistics cell has also been set up for route planning and parking management.