LUCKNOW, Oct. 8 -- Facing an existential political crisis and a heavily eroded voter base, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has called for a show of strength in Lucknow on October 9 to mark the death anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram. The rally comes as the party prepares a do-or-die campaign for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in a bid to regain its lost political footprint. Party leaders and workers from across the state have been directed to assemble at the Kanshi Ram memorial in Lucknow to pay their obeisance to the Dalit icon. Six successive electoral debacles (2012, 2017 and 2022 assembly elections and 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections), desertion of senior leaders and falling vote share from 30.43% in 2007 assembly polls to 9.39% in 2024 Lok Sabha polls has shaken the party's base. The BSP also has no representation in the UP assembly, Lok Sabha and the term of the sole member in the Rajya Sabha will end in November. Compounding the crisis is the looming threat of losing its status as a recognized national party. The Election Commission of India (ECI) mandates that a national party must secure at least 6% of valid votes in four or more states alongside four MPs, or win 2% of Lok Sabha seats across three states. Following the 2024 defeat, the BSP falls short of these benchmarks and awaits the ECI's official review. Once considered the formidable "third force" in UP politics and a national trendsetter for Dalit empowerment, the BSP is battling internal turmoil and a string of electoral defeats. As a primary damage-control measure, Mayawati reinstated her 31-year-old nephew, Akash Anand, as the party's national coordinator on Monday. Anand, who had previously been designated her political heir in December 2023, was unceremoniously removed and expelled after Mayawati alleged he was unduly influenced by his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, whom she had also forced into political retirement. Upon his reinstatement, Mayawati indicated that Anand will spearhead the party's youth outreach and state campaigns. However, the BSP chief made it clear she will retain ultimate authority over candidate screening and ticket distribution for all 403 UP assembly seats. Back in June 1995, Mayawati took oath of office as chief minister of UP. The young leader, just 39 then, was the country's first Dalit woman CM, emerging from the churn of the Mandal revolution that gave birth to BSP and the coalition of Dalit and backward communities crafted by her mentor, Kanshi Ram. In 2007, she achieved an even more impressive feat, forging a coalition of extremes between Dalits, Muslims and Brahmins, as she swept to power with the first full majority government in almost a decade. Even when she lost power in 2012, her core constituents stood strongly behind her. However, 15 years later that reputation is in tatters. The 9.39% vote in the 2024 LS elections indicates that not only the support has deserted the BSP, but rival parties have also been able to dent into her core support base - the Jatavs, Mayawati's own community, and the Dalit community. Akash wanted a complete overhaul in the party organisation, presence of the party on all social media platforms, establishment of a social media cell to set the narrative for the election, removal of old party leaders who were not working with missionary zeal and promotion of young workers in the organisation, said a BSP leader. After the party chief's displeasure, Akash had to disband the social media cell. "There are four forces in UP politics - BJP, SP-Congress alliance, BSP and another emerging alliance - ASP, Apni Janata Party and AIMIM. The rainbow coalition of Dalit and OBC alliance built by Kanshi Ram as Bahujan Samaj has been broken with the shift of OBC and various Dalit communities from the BSP," said Prof Vivek Kumar of the School of Social Sciences, JNU....