The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has swiftly initiated a major public outreach campaign in Uttar Pradesh following the release of the draft electoral rolls, which saw a staggering 2.89 crore names of voters deleted in the state. The party aims to assist affected citizens in getting their names back on the list ahead of the crucial revision deadline.
BSP's Immediate Response to Draft Roll Publication
State BSP president Vishwanath Pal announced that the party launched its campaign on Tuesday itself, just a day after the Election Commission published the draft rolls on Monday. The campaign will run until February 6, providing a month-long window for assistance. "This was as soon as the draft voter list came. Our campaign will continue till Feb 6," Pal stated. The primary focus is to guide both voters whose names were removed and new eligible voters through the process of filling Form 6 for enrollment or re-enrollment.
Booth-Level Strategy and Past Precedents
This is not the first such effort by the party. In November, following instructions from national president Mayawati during review meetings, BSP's booth-level agents (BLAs) had already been active. They assisted voters in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, working in coordination with the official booth-level officers (BLOs). Each BLA was tasked with verifying details at two booths per day. For over a month, party workers were required to send photographic proof of their on-ground activity to ensure accountability.
Leadership and Future Commentary
While spearheading the corrective campaign, Vishwanath Pal deferred questions on the reasons behind the massive deletion of names from the voters' list. He clarified that any official comment on that specific issue would come from the party's national president, Mayawati. The current drive is purely operational, focusing on mitigating the impact on potential voters and ensuring no legitimate voter is left out due to procedural lapses.
The BSP's organized, booth-centric approach highlights the party's emphasis on grassroots mobilization, especially in the politically significant state of Uttar Pradesh. With the final electoral roll publication on the horizon, such campaigns could play a pivotal role in shaping the electorate's final composition.
