The year 2026 could mark a historic setback for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), as Uttar Pradesh prepares for the retirement of 10 Rajya Sabha members. If current political equations remain unchanged, BSP is likely to be left without any representation in either House of Parliament, a situation that would arise after nearly 36 years.
BSP Faces the Biggest Impact
Among the retiring MPs is Ramji Gautam, the only BSP representative currently in Parliament. His term ends in 2026, and given the party’s extremely weak presence in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, BSP is virtually out of contention for a Rajya Sabha seat in the upcoming elections.
The situation has already worsened for the party after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where BSP failed to win a single seat. With Ramji Gautam’s retirement, BSP’s absence from the Rajya Sabha would make Parliament entirely BSP-free for the first time in decades.
Who Is Ramji Gautam?
Ramji Gautam, a close confidant of BSP supremo Mayawati, hails from Lakhimpur Kheri. He became a Rajya Sabha MP on November 2, 2020, following the SP-BSP alliance in the 2019 general elections. A senior leader within the party, he has served as National Coordinator and National Vice President of BSP.
Speculation earlier suggested that Mayawati herself might move to the Rajya Sabha, but the party eventually nominated Gautam instead.
10 Rajya Sabha Seats to Fall Vacant
The 10 Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha MPs whose terms will end in 2026 include:
- BJP: Brijlal, Seema Dwivedi, Chandraprabha alias Geeta, Hardeep Singh Puri, Dinesh Sharma, Neeraj Shekhar, Arun Singh, B.L. Verma
- BSP: Ramji Gautam
- SP: Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav
These vacancies are expected to trigger intense political activity, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as the biggest beneficiary.
Assembly Numbers Clearly Favor BJP
Uttar Pradesh has 403 Assembly seats, of which 402 are currently occupied. The present strength is as follows:
- BJP: 258 MLAs
- Samajwadi Party (SP): 103 MLAs
- Apna Dal: 13
- Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD): 9
- Nishad Party: 5
- SBSP: 6
- Congress: 2
- Jansatta Dal Loktantrik: 2
- BSP: 1
- SP rebels: 3
To win one Rajya Sabha seat, a party requires the support of around 37 MLAs. By this calculation, the BJP can comfortably secure 8 seats on its own, while the Samajwadi Party is likely to win 2 seats. BSP, with just one MLA, stands no chance under the current arithmetic.
A Tough Road Ahead for Mayawati
The likely loss of Rajya Sabha representation deepens BSP’s political crisis. With only 2.04% vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party is also at risk of losing its national party status.
Political analysts believe that Mayawati’s biggest challenge now lies in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Without significantly improving its tally in the state legislature, BSP may struggle to make its voice heard at the national level.
From Parliamentary Presence to Political Uncertainty
Founded by Kanshi Ram in 1984, BSP entered Parliament for the first time in 1989, winning three Lok Sabha seats, including one by Mayawati herself. Since then, despite electoral ups and downs, the party managed to maintain a presence in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
However, with changing political dynamics and shrinking electoral support, 2026 could become a turning point, potentially ending BSP’s long-standing parliamentary journey—unless the party manages a dramatic political revival.
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