The ( in
India . It is a party formed to represent both low caste and
Dalit (untouchable) persons, those at the bottom of India's
Caste System . The BSP has two high-profile, charismatic leaders,
Kanshi Ram and
Mayawati . In the 13th
Lok Sabha (
1999 -
2004 ) it had 14 (out of 545) members. Though avowedly a national party, the BSP has yet to exert much influence outside of the large state of
Uttar Pradesh , whose government the party has led several times. The deep and mutual hostility between the BSP and the
Samajwadi Party – the other leading state party in Uttar Pradesh, whose support is mainly
OBC or
Kshatriya – has led the BSP into government with its erstwhile ideological enemies, the
Bharatiya Janata Party (whose leadership doesn't discriminate on basis of caste]).
The party's political symbol is an
Elephant .
See also:
List Of Political Parties In India ,
Politics Of India
