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The Transformation of Backward Class Politics in Uttar Pradesh
A major political development in Uttar Pradesh in recent years has been the growing elitism in candidate recruitment by parties. While parties claim to have become more socially inclusive, they tend to enrol their candidates from among the new business elites of the state, who seek to further entrench their domination through participation in the democratic process. This has far-reaching consequences on backward class politics.
The last three assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh (UP) have all produced single majorities, won each time by a different party—the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2007, the Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2012, and most recently by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017. This succession of majorities marks an important shift in UP politics, which was characterised before 2007 by profound governmental instability.
Before Mayawati in 2007, the last party to have obtained a single majority of seats was the Congress in 1985. The last chief minister to have completed a full term was Sampurnanand in 1960. Between the last Congress government of N D Tiwari in 1989, and the 2007 election, UP has been governed by 10 successive chief ministers and placed under President’s rule on four occasions.
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