The Bahujan Samaj party has decided to discontinue the practice of accepting monetary support from its supporters at cadre meetings. This is the first-of-its-kind move that is likely to put a strain on BSP’s already diminishing resources. This move comes at a time when the party is struggling through an electoral decline.
In last year’s Lok Sabha polls, the party failed to open its account and had a sour experience. After that, BSP’s membership fees were slashed from ₹200 to ₹50, to bring in more economically weaker sections and rural people.
In 2007, the party came to power in Uttar Pradesh with an absolute majority. During that time, these cadre meetings were the key to strengthening the organisation. However, after Mayawati was appointed as the CM, these meetings became irregular. The new goal of the party is to conduct regular meetings within Uttar Pradesh and to expand its voter base beyond its traditional Dalit and OBC supporters.
For and Against the Move
“In the past, leaders asked participants to contribute as per their wishes. This was done when the BSP was a strong force nationally and people contributed happily. Since the party’s electoral fortunes have declined and since many of our followers come from economically weaker sections of society, we have decided to discontinue the practice. However, if someone wants to volunteer, they are welcome,” said a senior BSP leader to the media.
Not everyone in the party seems to agree with the decision, stating that financial contribution to the party and the membership fee were the only two sources of fund collection.
