Kumari Mayawati (born Kumari Mayawati Das; 15 January 1956) is an Indian politician who served as the 18th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1995 to 1995, 1997 to 1997, 2002 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2012.
Born Jan 15, 1956Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 2:43 PM
Mayawati had also served as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2017 from Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati's rise from humble beginnings has been called a "miracle of democracy" by P. V. Narasimha Rao, former prime minister of India.3 In 1993, Kanshi Ram formed a coalition with the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1995. She was the first female Scheduled Caste chief minister in India. In 1997 and in 2002 she was chief minister with outside support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the second time only for a year up to 26 August 2003 due to BJP withdrawing support.4
Mayawati's tenure has attracted praise and criticism. Millions of Dalits across India popularly view her as an icon, and refer to her as Behen-ji (elder sister).5 She has been praised for her fundraising efforts on behalf of her party and her birthdays have been widely celebrated by her supporters. On the contrary, the rise in her personal wealth and that of her party have been criticised as indicative of corruption.
This page is based on “Mayawati” from English Wikipedia, (r1378215601) CC BY-SA 4.0 used under the license. The original authors are listed in its page history.
Kanshi Ram founded the BSP in 1984. Influenced by B. R. Ambedkar, the party's primary focus is to improve the situation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other disadvantaged groups through policy reform, affirmative action on hiring of members of scheduled castes for government posts, and providing rural development programmes.15Reservation in India is a system whereby a percentage of government positions and seats at universities are reserved for persons of backward classes and scheduled castes and tribes. Throughout her political career, Mayawati supported reservation in both government and private sectors for backward classes, with an increase in quotas and inclusion of more communities such as religious minorities and economically weak upper castes.1718192021 In August 2012 a bill was cleared that starts the process of amending the constitution so that the reservation system can be expanded to promotions in state jobs.22 Mayawati's career has been called a "miracle of democracy" by former Prime Minister of India P. V. Narasimha Rao.3 Millions of Dalit supporters view her as an icon and refer to her as "Behen-ji" (sister).23 Her public meetings have been attended by large audiences, who use slogans such as "Kanshi Ram ka mission Adhoora; karegi Behen Mayawati poora" (Kanshi Ram's unfulfilled mission will be completed by Mayawati) and "Behenji tum sangharsh karo; hum tumhare saath hain" (Sister, go ahead with your struggle; we are with you).24
In its first election campaign in 1984, BSP fielded Mayawati for the Lok Sabha (Lower House) seat of Kairana in the Muzaffarnagar district, for Bijnor in 1985, and for Haridwar in 1987. In 1989 she was elected as the representative for Bijnor, with 183,189 votes, winning by 8,879 votes.2526 Although BSP did not win control of the house, the electoral experience led to considerable activity for Mayawati over the next five years, as she worked with Mahsood Ahmed and other organisers. The party won three seats in the 1989 national election27 and two seats in 1991.28
Mayawati was first elected to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 1994.2 In 1995 she became, as head of her party, Chief Minister in a short-lived coalition government, the youngest Chief Minister in the history of the state up until that point, and the first female Dalit Chief Minister in India.2329 She won election to the Lok Sabha in two different constituencies in 1996 and chose to serve for Harora.2 She became Chief Minister again for a short period in 1997 and then from 2002 to 2003 in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2001 Ram named her as his successor to the party leadership.16
On 15 December 2001, in an address during a rally Lucknow, Kanshi Ram named Mayawati as his successor.30 She was elected national president of the BSP for her first term on 18 September 2003.3132 She was elected unopposed for a second consecutive term on 27 August 2006.33
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
As the Chief Minister, Mayawati gained a reputation for efficient governance34 and promoting law and order,35 winning praise even from opposition parties363738 and other rivals.3940414243 In 2007, MP Umakant Yadav of her own political party, accused in a land grabbing case, was arrested near her dwelling on her orders.4445 During September–October 2010, at the time of the Ayodhya verdict, her government maintained law and order464748 and the state remained peaceful.49 Several high-profile criminals and mafia dons were jailed during her terms in office.50515253 She called for strong anti-rape laws.5455 Fewer riots,56 lowest rapes,57 and least corruption5859 occurred during her tenure as compared to previous or successive governments. In the 2007–2012 assembly, only 124 MLAs were crorepatis as compared to 271 crorepatis in successive assembly elected in 2012.60 Uttar Pradesh achieved higher GDPgrowth rate at 17 per cent6162 and lesser crimes under Mayawati regime as compared to previous and successive governments.63
First term, 1995
Mayawati first served as Chief Minister from 3 June 1995 to 18 October 1995 with support of BJP. During this term, the new districts of Ambedkar Nagar district and Udham Singh Nagar district were created.64
Second term, 1997
Her second term was from 21 March 1997 to 20 September 1997. A drive under her government allotted pattas or gram sabha lands on lease to thousands of landless residents.65 In April 1997, she created Gautam Budh Nagar district from the district of Ghaziabad, Kaushambi district was separated from Allahabad district, and Jyotiba Phule Nagar district (now called Amroha district) from Moradabad district. In May 1997, Mahamaya Nagar district (now called Hathras district) was created out of Aligarh district and Banda district was split into Banda and Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar.66 Mayawati carried out review meetings with bureaucrats and suspended 127 officers.67 She set up the Dr Ambedkar Awards and erected over 100 statues of various sizes of Ambedkar in Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad and other key towns.68
Third term, 2002-2003
Her third term was from 3 May 2002 to 26 August 2003, in which she had the support of BJP. She suspended 12 IAS officers, including Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates. Six IPS officers were suspended for failing to maintain law and order, while 24 officers were warned to improve.69 She started 511 acre Gautam Buddha University.70 She renamed King George's Medical University to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University.71 She suspended three senior officials after review in a couple of administrative divisions.72
Fourth term, 2007–12
Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and one of its poorest, is considered pivotal in the politics of India because of its large number of voters.7374 BSP won a majority in the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, due to support of Brahmans.75 The campaign was accompanied by a colourful slogan: Haathi nahin, Ganesh hain, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh Hain: "The elephant (the BSP logo) is really the Lord Ganesha, the trinity of gods rolled into one".76 37 per cent Brahmins voted for the party.77
Mayawati was sworn in as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the fourth time on 13 May 2007. She announced an agenda that focused on providing social justice to the weaker sections of society and providing employment instead of distributing money to the unemployed. Her slogan was to make "Uttar Pradesh" ("Northern Province") into "Uttam Pradesh" ("Excellent Province").78 Her government began a major crackdown on irregularities in the recruitment process of police officers recruited during the previous Mulayam Singh government. Over 18,000 policemen lost their jobs for irregularities in their hiring, and 25 Indian Police Service officers were suspended for their involvement in corruption while recruiting the constables.7980 Mayawati instituted reforms to introduce transparency into the recruiting process, including posting the results of selection exams online.81
On 10 August 2007, the Mayawati government proposed 30 per cent reservation in jobs in the private sector.82 A quota for promotions was also introduced, but was later quashed by the Supreme Court of India.83 In September 2007, Bhimrao Ambedkar Rural Integrated Development Programme was started.84 The Dr Ambedkar Gram Vikas Yojana scheme was launched for supplying water, electricity, and constructing roads in villages with a Dalit majority.858687 Under this scheme, 24,716 villages received improvements.
In 2008, Mayawati launched, Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Shahri Garib Awas Yojna, a scheme for building low-cost housing colonies for urban poor with 90,000 low-cost homes under the first round of construction in different towns and cities across the state while a second and a third round were still underway when government ended in 2012 and next government scrapped the scheme including cutting down electricity of these colonies.88
Mayawati government started efforts to set up solar power plants and the first 5 MW solar power plant located in Naini of Allahabad district started functioning in March 2012 and was developed by EMC Limited.89 UP government signed a MoU with NTPC Limited for 1,320-MW power plant.90 Mayawati's dream project of 165 km six lane Yamuna Expressway connected Delhi to Agra through Noida–Greater Noida Expressway, touching 1,182 villages in the state.91 Later, Indian Air Force fighter jet Dassault Mirage 2000 test-Landed on Yamuna Expressway as Part of Trials.92 On 15 January 2008, Mayawati inaugurated the construction of the 1,047 km Ganga Expressway at the cost of ₹30,000 crore (US$3.1 billion) for joining Ballia to Greater Noida.93 In 2008, her government established Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University for the Physically challenged students.94 In November 2009, Mayawati dedicated Noida Metro constructed at the cost of ₹557 crore (US$58 million).9596 She had vigorously proposed for construction of Jewar airport near Noida.97 In October 2011, Mayawati government under public-private partnership with Jaypee Group successfully executed and delivered First F1Indian Grand Prix, an international event at Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida constructed by Jaypee Group. The event was hailed as flawlessly conducted salvaging some of India's prestige when compared to minor embarrassments in 2010 Commonwealth Games (Before opening ceremony) conducted in Delhi.9899100 Mayawati presented the winning trophy to winner Sebastian Vettel.101 Foreigners found the track as 'impressive'102 and 3 Indian teenagers picked by a F1 panel to train them as future Formula One drivers in Europe.103
Mayawati has seen through to completion of several memorials dedicated to icons of Bahujan Samaj build first time in India, including the Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Green Eco Garden (inaugurated March 2011),104 the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden (inaugurated October 2011),105 and the Ambedkar Memorial Park (opened November 2012).106 She renamed Amethi district as Chattrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar,107 Kanpur Dehat as Rambai Nagar, Sambhal as Bheem Nagar, Shamli as Prabuddha Nagar, Hapur as Panchsheel Nagar, Kasganj as Kanshiram Nagar, Hathras as Mahamaya Nagar and Amroha as JP Nagar.108
Mayawati during her tenure directed all the Commissioners and the District Magistrates to distribute 3 acre land pieces or pattas to weaker sections of society by launching special drive for illegal possesses of pattas be dispossessed of them and the eligible poor be identified by regular monitoring of pattas and strict action against the mafias and musclemen through spot verification of different development and public welfare programmes.109 In 2010, 5596 people belonging to the SC and ST communities were allotted 1054.879 hectares of agriculture land. In a special drive 74 FIRs were filed and 88 people were arrested for illegal occupation from agricultural land.110111Sugar Information Service a model website supported by SMS and IVRS facility was developed.112 Mayawati dedicated the ₹63.5 crore (US$6.6 million) 286-bed super-specialty Centenary hospital in Lucknow and 50-bed critical care unit at CSMMU113 and increased salaries of doctors.114 Mayawati, in 2007, launched115 ₹500 crore (US$52 million) Manyawar Kanshiram Multi-speciality Hospital in Greater Noida which started its OPD services in April 2013.116 Mayawati government also spent ₹510 crore (US$53 million) on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Multi Speciality Hospital in Sector 30 of Noida.117
Her government also instituted Sant Ravidas Kala Samman Award with a cash prize of ₹1.25 lakh (US$1,300).118 Under Savitri Bai Phule Balika Shiksha Madad Yojna, Mayawati distributed over 10 lakh bicycles among Muslim and poor school girls from 2008 to 2011.119120
After coming to power in 2007, Mayawati wrote letters to the Prime Minister regarding partitioning of Uttar Pradesh into four different states in 2007, in March 2008 and December 2009.121122 Finally on 15 November 2011, Mayawati's cabinet approved partitioning Uttar Pradesh into four different states (Pashchim Pradesh, Awadh Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal) for better administration and governance.123
On 6 March 2012 the Bahujan Samaj Party lost its majority to the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati tendered her resignation to the governor of Uttar Pradesh the next day,124 thereby becoming the first CM to complete five full years in office.125 On 13 March 2012 she filed nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha, and she was declared elected unopposed on 22 March.126127
Later career
She was elected as the BSP president for a third term on 30 August 2014128 and for fourth term on 28 August 2019.129
On 10 December 2023 Mayawati named nephew Akash Anand as her successor.130131 However, he was sacked immediately after his comments on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.132
In recent years, the party has seen a decline in popularity in both state and national elections, with key figures within the BSP defecting and election results declining.133
Political and legal issues
Mayawati's political career has attracted praise and controversy.134135 She has been praised for her fundraising efforts on behalf of her party, and her birthdays were major media events as well as a symbol for her supporters. The increase in her personal wealth and that of her party1367137 have been viewed by critics as signs of corruption.23138
Taj corridor
In 2002, the government of Uttar Pradesh began improvements of the infrastructure in the Taj Heritage Corridor, the important tourist area in Agra that includes the Taj Mahal. The project was soon riddled with problems, including funds being released for the project without the submission of the required detailed project reports to the environmental authorities.139 Suspecting there were financial irregularities as well, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided twelve residences, including Mayawati's. It had filed a First Information Report against her and seven others two days earlier.140 The raid uncovered evidence of assets disproportionate to her known income.141142 Afterwards, Mayawati resigned from her own government to prove that she was not "hungry for power"143 She asked the BJP-run Government of India to remove Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Jagmohan144 for conspiring this all controversy against her.145
In June 2007, Governor T. V. Rajeswar said that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute her. In his 23-page order, he said: "the fact that the Mission Management Board, consisting of officers of both the State and the Central Government, regularly met and discussed the project and the fact that even a sum of ₹ 170,000,000 (17 crores) was spent through the Central Government public sector undertaking, NPCC, all go to show that the serious offences with which Mayawati and the Minister were charged do not stand scrutiny."146 Advocates unsuccessfully challenged the governor's decision in court. The Supreme Court rejected the plea of the CBI and refused to direct the governor to prosecute her. The Taj corridor case was effectively ended before going to trial.147148149
Disproportionate assets case
In the 2007–08 assessment year, Mayawati paid an income tax of ₹26 crore, ranking among the top 20 taxpayers in the country. Earlier the CBI filed a case against her for owning assets disproportionate to her known sources of income. Mayawati described the CBI investigation against her as illegal.150 Her party asserted that her income comes from gifts and small contributions made by party workers and supporters.151152
On 3 August 2011 the Delhi High court dismissed the central government's appeal against Mayawati, stating that "she has fully discharged her obligations by disclosing the identities of all of her donors, the gifts had been donated by her supporters".153 The central government decided not to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.154 On 13 March 2012 Mayawati revealed assets worth ₹ 111.26 crore in an affidavit filed with her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha.126 The disproportionate assets case was finally quashed on 6 July 2012—nine years later—by a Supreme Court bench of Justice P Sathasivam and Dipak Misra; the court found that the case was unwarranted.155 Based on an opinion received from the Directorate of Prosecution, the CBI decided not to file an appeal.156 On 4 October 2012 a review petition was filed by Kamlesh Verma, contending that the case had been dismissed merely on technical grounds, and that the evidence had not been adequately reviewed.157 On 8 August 2013 the Supreme Court declined a request to re-open the case.158 After seeking legal advice, the CBI finally closed their file on 8 October 2013.159
Bahujan monuments
In her tenures as a Chief Minister, Mayawati commissioned the production and public display of several monuments160 having parks, gallerias, museums,161 memorials, murals162 and statues representing Buddhist and Hindu, Dalit/OBC163 icons like Gautama Buddha, Gadge Maharaj, Ravidas, Kabir, Narayana Guru, Jyotirao Phule, Shahu IV, B. R. Ambedkar, BSP party founder Kanshi Ram, and of herself.164 She claims that the expenditure was required because the past governments did not show respect towards Dalit leaders, in whose memory nothing had ever been built.165 She spent somewhere between ₹2,500 and 6,000 crore (about US$500 million to US$1.3 billion) on projects in five parks and at memorials such as the Ambedkar Memorial Park and Manyavar Kanshiram Smarak Sthal, built in the name of B.R. Ambedkar, Ramabai Ambedkar, and Kanshi Ram in Lucknow between 2007 and 2009.166167168 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India reported that ₹ 66 crore (about US$12 million) in excessive costs had been incurred on the construction of the memorials.169 In February 2010 Mayawati's government approved a plan for a special police force to protect the statues, as she feared that her political opponents might demolish them.170 In December 2010, her government received permission to continue part of the plan, namely maintenance and completion of Ambedkar Memorial Park.168
Despite the existing Supreme Court stay, in October 2011 Mayawati inaugurated the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden, built at a cost of ₹685 crore.171 Since the memorial also features her own statues, Mayawati was accused by the Indian National Congress of wasting the taxpayers' money.172 The BSP dismissed the allegations, stating that her statues were erected because Kanshi Ram's will requested that his statues should be constructed next to those of the current President of BSP. Mayawati accused the Congress of being "anti-Dalit".172
In January 2012, the Election Commission ordered that all of the statues of Mayawati as well as recent statues of elephants (the symbol of the Bahujan Samaj Party) should be covered up until after February's Uttar Pradesh election.173174 On 26 July 2012 the statue in Lucknow was damaged by members of a group calling themselves "Uttar Pradesh Naunirman Sena".175176177 A replacement statue was re-installed overnight by the Lucknow city administration.178 Following the Lucknow vandalism, there were similar such incidents in other parts of Uttar Pradesh.179
World Bank criticism
The World Bank lent India funds for development, and Mayawati was to manage projects with this money in UP. The projects were preplanned and on schedule, but the Mayawati government made changes which put the projects behind schedule, including rapidly transferring upper caste managers in and out of rural posts.180 The World Bank sent a letter of complaint on 1 August 2002 to India's central government stating, "We have now learnt that project managers have been replaced within three weeks of assuming office. The project coordinator of the Diversified Agriculture Support Project has been changed twice in quick succession and at the moment there is no project coordinator. In the forestry project, numerous changes have been made over past six months ... Such developments do not augur well for these time-bound projects that require consistently good leadership."181 Mayawati initially responded by saying the letter was a fake and later said there had been a misunderstanding. She then decreased the number of transfers, stopped creating new posts, and temporarily reduced the level of government spending on furniture and vehicles in response to the allegations. The World Bank continued to criticise the level of corruption even after these measures had been implemented.180
As per the election affidavit of 2012 (Rajya Sabha), Mayawati has assets worth ₹111.64 crores and liabilities worth ₹87.68 lakhs (0.87 crores).184
Personal life and public image
Mayawati started her political career after Kanshi Ram, the founder of Bahujan Samaj Party, persuaded her not to join the civil service, but to enter politics.185 Mayawati chose to remain unmarried. She is also known as Iron Lady.186187188
Kanshi Ram praised Mayawati at her 47th birthday celebrations for her fundraising activities on behalf of the party. He stated that the party's eventual goal is to gain power at the national level, and that Mayawati's efforts had helped in that quest.134 Her birthdays have since become major media events at which she has appeared laden with diamonds.23 Her supporters have declared her birthday as Jan Kalyankari Diwas (People's Welfare Day). In 2009, the day was marked by the announcement of welfare schemes targeted towards poor and downtrodden people of the state189 and, in 2010, by the launch of social programmes with a value of over ₹ 7,312 crore.190
In 2007–08, Mayawati paid ₹26.26 crore (US$2.7 million) as income tax.191 She was at number 20 in the I-T department's compilation of the top 200 taxpayers' list with names like Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar. Mayawati paid ₹15 crore (US$1.6 million) in advance tax in April–December 2007. She paid ₹12.5 crore (US$1.3 million) on other incomes, most of which was declared by her as "gifts" by party members.192
When BSP workers garlanded Mayawati with currency notes on the occasion of the party's silver jubilee celebrations coinciding with BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary on 15 March 2010, Indian news channels and newspapers purported to expose the event as a ‘scandal’ on the presumption that the Chief Minister had publicly committed an act of corruption that was being flaunted openly and declaring that the garland of currency notes was made from money through corrupt means and not from donations of Bahujan Samaj Party supporters as Mayawati, her Ministers and supporters claimed. At Kanshi Ram's funeral ceremonies in 2006, Mayawati stated that both Kanshi Ram and herself had been, and she would continue to be, observant of Buddhist traditions and customs. She has stated her intention to formally convert to Buddhism when the political conditions enable her to become Prime Minister of India. Her act of performing the last rites (traditionally done by a male heir) was an expression of their views against gender discrimination.193194 When she was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, she publicly called Bhikkhus to prayer.195
Literature about Mayawati
Literature about Mayawati includes studies and books. One of the first works about her was journalist Mohammad Jamil Akhter's book, Iron Lady Kumari Mayawati.196 Her autobiographies are Mere Sangarshmai Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama in three volumes in Hindi and A Travelogue of My Struggle-ridden Life and of Bahujan Samaj, in two volumes in English.197Behenji : A Political Biography of Mayawati is a biography by veteran journalist Ajoy Bose.14
Raote, Rrishi (24 March 2012). "Under the elephant's spell". Business Standard News. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016. ↩
Rawat, Virendra Singh (13 November 2009). "Mayawati launches Noida Metro". Business Standard News. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016. ↩
Singh Yadav, Kushal Pal (31 July 2003). "Taj corridor project compromises heritage". Down To Earth. Society for Environmental Communications. Archived from the original on 13 November 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2012. ↩
Kirk, Jason (2011). India and the World Bank: The Politics of Aid and Influence. Anthem South Asian Studies. London; New York: Anthem Press. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-85728-412-9. ↩↩2
Mayawati had also served as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2017 from Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati's rise from humble beginnings has been called a "miracle of democracy" by P. V. Narasimha Rao, former prime minister of India.3 In 1993, Kanshi Ram formed a coalition with the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1995. She was the first female Scheduled Caste chief minister in India. In 1997 and in 2002 she was chief minister with outside support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the second time only for a year up to 26 August 2003 due to BJP withdrawing support.4
Mayawati's tenure has attracted praise and criticism. Millions of Dalits across India popularly view her as an icon, and refer to her as (elder sister). She has been praised for her fundraising efforts on behalf of her party and her birthdays have been widely celebrated by her supporters. On the contrary, the rise in her personal wealth and that of her party have been criticised as indicative of corruption.
Kanshi Ram founded the BSP in 1984. Influenced by B. R. Ambedkar, the party's primary focus is to improve the situation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other disadvantaged groups through policy reform, affirmative action on hiring of members of scheduled castes for government posts, and providing rural development programmes.15Reservation in India is a system whereby a percentage of government positions and seats at universities are reserved for persons of backward classes and scheduled castes and tribes. Throughout her political career, Mayawati supported reservation in both government and private sectors for backward classes, with an increase in quotas and inclusion of more communities such as religious minorities and economically weak upper castes.1718192021 In August 2012 a bill was cleared that starts the process of amending the constitution so that the reservation system can be expanded to promotions in state jobs.22 Mayawati's career has been called a "miracle of democracy" by former Prime Minister of India P. V. Narasimha Rao.3 Millions of Dalit supporters view her as an icon and refer to her as "Behen-ji" (sister).23 Her public meetings have been attended by large audiences, who use slogans such as "Kanshi Ram ka mission Adhoora; karegi Behen Mayawati poora" (Kanshi Ram's unfulfilled mission will be completed by Mayawati) and "Behenji tum sangharsh karo; hum tumhare saath hain" (Sister, go ahead with your struggle; we are with you).24
In its first election campaign in 1984, BSP fielded Mayawati for the Lok Sabha (Lower House) seat of Kairana in the Muzaffarnagar district, for Bijnor in 1985, and for Haridwar in 1987. In 1989 she was elected as the representative for Bijnor, with 183,189 votes, winning by 8,879 votes.2526 Although BSP did not win control of the house, the electoral experience led to considerable activity for Mayawati over the next five years, as she worked with Mahsood Ahmed and other organisers. The party won three seats in the 1989 national election27 and two seats in 1991.28
Mayawati was first elected to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 1994.2 In 1995 she became, as head of her party, Chief Minister in a short-lived coalition government, the youngest Chief Minister in the history of the state up until that point, and the first female Dalit Chief Minister in India.2329 She won election to the Lok Sabha in two different constituencies in 1996 and chose to serve for Harora.2 She became Chief Minister again for a short period in 1997 and then from 2002 to 2003 in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2001 Ram named her as his successor to the party leadership.16
On 15 December 2001, in an address during a rally Lucknow, Kanshi Ram named Mayawati as his successor.30 She was elected national president of the BSP for her first term on 18 September 2003.3132 She was elected unopposed for a second consecutive term on 27 August 2006.33
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
As the Chief Minister, Mayawati gained a reputation for efficient governance34 and promoting law and order,35 winning praise even from opposition parties363738 and other rivals.3940414243 In 2007, MP Umakant Yadav of her own political party, accused in a land grabbing case, was arrested near her dwelling on her orders.4445 During September–October 2010, at the time of the Ayodhya verdict, her government maintained law and order464748 and the state remained peaceful.49 Several high-profile criminals and mafia dons were jailed during her terms in office.50515253 She called for strong anti-rape laws.5455 Fewer riots,56 lowest rapes,57 and least corruption5859 occurred during her tenure as compared to previous or successive governments. In the 2007–2012 assembly, only 124 MLAs were crorepatis as compared to 271 crorepatis in successive assembly elected in 2012.60 Uttar Pradesh achieved higher GDPgrowth rate at 17 per cent6162 and lesser crimes under Mayawati regime as compared to previous and successive governments.63
First term, 1995
Mayawati first served as Chief Minister from 3 June 1995 to 18 October 1995 with support of BJP. During this term, the new districts of Ambedkar Nagar district and Udham Singh Nagar district were created.64
Second term, 1997
Her second term was from 21 March 1997 to 20 September 1997. A drive under her government allotted pattas or gram sabha lands on lease to thousands of landless residents.65 In April 1997, she created Gautam Budh Nagar district from the district of Ghaziabad, Kaushambi district was separated from Allahabad district, and Jyotiba Phule Nagar district (now called Amroha district) from Moradabad district. In May 1997, Mahamaya Nagar district (now called Hathras district) was created out of Aligarh district and Banda district was split into Banda and Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar.66 Mayawati carried out review meetings with bureaucrats and suspended 127 officers.67 She set up the Dr Ambedkar Awards and erected over 100 statues of various sizes of Ambedkar in Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad and other key towns.68
Third term, 2002-2003
Her third term was from 3 May 2002 to 26 August 2003, in which she had the support of BJP. She suspended 12 IAS officers, including Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates. Six IPS officers were suspended for failing to maintain law and order, while 24 officers were warned to improve.69 She started 511 acre Gautam Buddha University.70 She renamed King George's Medical University to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University.71 She suspended three senior officials after review in a couple of administrative divisions.72
Fourth term, 2007–12
Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and one of its poorest, is considered pivotal in the politics of India because of its large number of voters.7374 BSP won a majority in the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, due to support of Brahmans.75 The campaign was accompanied by a colourful slogan: Haathi nahin, Ganesh hain, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh Hain: "The elephant (the BSP logo) is really the Lord Ganesha, the trinity of gods rolled into one".76 37 per cent Brahmins voted for the party.77
Mayawati was sworn in as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the fourth time on 13 May 2007. She announced an agenda that focused on providing social justice to the weaker sections of society and providing employment instead of distributing money to the unemployed. Her slogan was to make "Uttar Pradesh" ("Northern Province") into "Uttam Pradesh" ("Excellent Province").78 Her government began a major crackdown on irregularities in the recruitment process of police officers recruited during the previous Mulayam Singh government. Over 18,000 policemen lost their jobs for irregularities in their hiring, and 25 Indian Police Service officers were suspended for their involvement in corruption while recruiting the constables.7980 Mayawati instituted reforms to introduce transparency into the recruiting process, including posting the results of selection exams online.81
On 10 August 2007, the Mayawati government proposed 30 per cent reservation in jobs in the private sector.82 A quota for promotions was also introduced, but was later quashed by the Supreme Court of India.83 In September 2007, Bhimrao Ambedkar Rural Integrated Development Programme was started.84 The Dr Ambedkar Gram Vikas Yojana scheme was launched for supplying water, electricity, and constructing roads in villages with a Dalit majority.858687 Under this scheme, 24,716 villages received improvements.
In 2008, Mayawati launched, Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Shahri Garib Awas Yojna, a scheme for building low-cost housing colonies for urban poor with 90,000 low-cost homes under the first round of construction in different towns and cities across the state while a second and a third round were still underway when government ended in 2012 and next government scrapped the scheme including cutting down electricity of these colonies.88
Mayawati government started efforts to set up solar power plants and the first 5 MW solar power plant located in Naini of Allahabad district started functioning in March 2012 and was developed by EMC Limited.89 UP government signed a MoU with NTPC Limited for 1,320-MW power plant.90 Mayawati's dream project of 165 km six lane Yamuna Expressway connected Delhi to Agra through Noida–Greater Noida Expressway, touching 1,182 villages in the state.91 Later, Indian Air Force fighter jet Dassault Mirage 2000 test-Landed on Yamuna Expressway as Part of Trials.92 On 15 January 2008, Mayawati inaugurated the construction of the 1,047 km Ganga Expressway at the cost of ₹30,000 crore (US$3.1 billion) for joining Ballia to Greater Noida.93 In 2008, her government established Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University for the Physically challenged students.94 In November 2009, Mayawati dedicated Noida Metro constructed at the cost of ₹557 crore (US$58 million).9596 She had vigorously proposed for construction of Jewar airport near Noida.97 In October 2011, Mayawati government under public-private partnership with Jaypee Group successfully executed and delivered First F1Indian Grand Prix, an international event at Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida constructed by Jaypee Group. The event was hailed as flawlessly conducted salvaging some of India's prestige when compared to minor embarrassments in 2010 Commonwealth Games (Before opening ceremony) conducted in Delhi.9899100 Mayawati presented the winning trophy to winner Sebastian Vettel.101 Foreigners found the track as 'impressive'102 and 3 Indian teenagers picked by a F1 panel to train them as future Formula One drivers in Europe.103
Mayawati has seen through to completion of several memorials dedicated to icons of Bahujan Samaj build first time in India, including the Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Green Eco Garden (inaugurated March 2011),104 the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden (inaugurated October 2011),105 and the Ambedkar Memorial Park (opened November 2012).106 She renamed Amethi district as Chattrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar,107 Kanpur Dehat as Rambai Nagar, Sambhal as Bheem Nagar, Shamli as Prabuddha Nagar, Hapur as Panchsheel Nagar, Kasganj as Kanshiram Nagar, Hathras as Mahamaya Nagar and Amroha as JP Nagar.108
Mayawati during her tenure directed all the Commissioners and the District Magistrates to distribute 3 acre land pieces or pattas to weaker sections of society by launching special drive for illegal possesses of pattas be dispossessed of them and the eligible poor be identified by regular monitoring of pattas and strict action against the mafias and musclemen through spot verification of different development and public welfare programmes.109 In 2010, 5596 people belonging to the SC and ST communities were allotted 1054.879 hectares of agriculture land. In a special drive 74 FIRs were filed and 88 people were arrested for illegal occupation from agricultural land.110111Sugar Information Service a model website supported by SMS and IVRS facility was developed.112 Mayawati dedicated the ₹63.5 crore (US$6.6 million) 286-bed super-specialty Centenary hospital in Lucknow and 50-bed critical care unit at CSMMU113 and increased salaries of doctors.114 Mayawati, in 2007, launched115 ₹500 crore (US$52 million) Manyawar Kanshiram Multi-speciality Hospital in Greater Noida which started its OPD services in April 2013.116 Mayawati government also spent ₹510 crore (US$53 million) on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Multi Speciality Hospital in Sector 30 of Noida.117
Her government also instituted Sant Ravidas Kala Samman Award with a cash prize of ₹1.25 lakh (US$1,300).118 Under Savitri Bai Phule Balika Shiksha Madad Yojna, Mayawati distributed over 10 lakh bicycles among Muslim and poor school girls from 2008 to 2011.119120
After coming to power in 2007, Mayawati wrote letters to the Prime Minister regarding partitioning of Uttar Pradesh into four different states in 2007, in March 2008 and December 2009.121122 Finally on 15 November 2011, Mayawati's cabinet approved partitioning Uttar Pradesh into four different states (Pashchim Pradesh, Awadh Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal) for better administration and governance.123
On 6 March 2012 the Bahujan Samaj Party lost its majority to the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati tendered her resignation to the governor of Uttar Pradesh the next day,124 thereby becoming the first CM to complete five full years in office.125 On 13 March 2012 she filed nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha, and she was declared elected unopposed on 22 March.126127
Later career
She was elected as the BSP president for a third term on 30 August 2014128 and for fourth term on 28 August 2019.129
On 10 December 2023 Mayawati named nephew Akash Anand as her successor.130131 However, he was sacked immediately after his comments on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.132
In recent years, the party has seen a decline in popularity in both state and national elections, with key figures within the BSP defecting and election results declining.133
Political and legal issues
Mayawati's political career has attracted praise and controversy.134135 She has been praised for her fundraising efforts on behalf of her party, and her birthdays were major media events as well as a symbol for her supporters. The increase in her personal wealth and that of her party1367137 have been viewed by critics as signs of corruption.23138
Taj corridor
In 2002, the government of Uttar Pradesh began improvements of the infrastructure in the Taj Heritage Corridor, the important tourist area in Agra that includes the Taj Mahal. The project was soon riddled with problems, including funds being released for the project without the submission of the required detailed project reports to the environmental authorities.139 Suspecting there were financial irregularities as well, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided twelve residences, including Mayawati's. It had filed a First Information Report against her and seven others two days earlier.140 The raid uncovered evidence of assets disproportionate to her known income.141142 Afterwards, Mayawati resigned from her own government to prove that she was not "hungry for power"143 She asked the BJP-run Government of India to remove Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Jagmohan144 for conspiring this all controversy against her.145
In June 2007, Governor T. V. Rajeswar said that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute her. In his 23-page order, he said: "the fact that the Mission Management Board, consisting of officers of both the State and the Central Government, regularly met and discussed the project and the fact that even a sum of ₹ 170,000,000 (17 crores) was spent through the Central Government public sector undertaking, NPCC, all go to show that the serious offences with which Mayawati and the Minister were charged do not stand scrutiny."146 Advocates unsuccessfully challenged the governor's decision in court. The Supreme Court rejected the plea of the CBI and refused to direct the governor to prosecute her. The Taj corridor case was effectively ended before going to trial.147148149
Disproportionate assets case
In the 2007–08 assessment year, Mayawati paid an income tax of ₹26 crore, ranking among the top 20 taxpayers in the country. Earlier the CBI filed a case against her for owning assets disproportionate to her known sources of income. Mayawati described the CBI investigation against her as illegal.150 Her party asserted that her income comes from gifts and small contributions made by party workers and supporters.151152
On 3 August 2011 the Delhi High court dismissed the central government's appeal against Mayawati, stating that "she has fully discharged her obligations by disclosing the identities of all of her donors, the gifts had been donated by her supporters".153 The central government decided not to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.154 On 13 March 2012 Mayawati revealed assets worth ₹ 111.26 crore in an affidavit filed with her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha.126 The disproportionate assets case was finally quashed on 6 July 2012—nine years later—by a Supreme Court bench of Justice P Sathasivam and Dipak Misra; the court found that the case was unwarranted.155 Based on an opinion received from the Directorate of Prosecution, the CBI decided not to file an appeal.156 On 4 October 2012 a review petition was filed by Kamlesh Verma, contending that the case had been dismissed merely on technical grounds, and that the evidence had not been adequately reviewed.157 On 8 August 2013 the Supreme Court declined a request to re-open the case.158 After seeking legal advice, the CBI finally closed their file on 8 October 2013.159
Bahujan monuments
In her tenures as a Chief Minister, Mayawati commissioned the production and public display of several monuments160 having parks, gallerias, museums,161 memorials, murals162 and statues representing Buddhist and Hindu, Dalit/OBC163 icons like Gautama Buddha, Gadge Maharaj, Ravidas, Kabir, Narayana Guru, Jyotirao Phule, Shahu IV, B. R. Ambedkar, BSP party founder Kanshi Ram, and of herself.164 She claims that the expenditure was required because the past governments did not show respect towards Dalit leaders, in whose memory nothing had ever been built.165 She spent somewhere between ₹2,500 and 6,000 crore (about US$500 million to US$1.3 billion) on projects in five parks and at memorials such as the Ambedkar Memorial Park and Manyavar Kanshiram Smarak Sthal, built in the name of B.R. Ambedkar, Ramabai Ambedkar, and Kanshi Ram in Lucknow between 2007 and 2009.166167168 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India reported that ₹ 66 crore (about US$12 million) in excessive costs had been incurred on the construction of the memorials.169 In February 2010 Mayawati's government approved a plan for a special police force to protect the statues, as she feared that her political opponents might demolish them.170 In December 2010, her government received permission to continue part of the plan, namely maintenance and completion of Ambedkar Memorial Park.168
Despite the existing Supreme Court stay, in October 2011 Mayawati inaugurated the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden, built at a cost of ₹685 crore.171 Since the memorial also features her own statues, Mayawati was accused by the Indian National Congress of wasting the taxpayers' money.172 The BSP dismissed the allegations, stating that her statues were erected because Kanshi Ram's will requested that his statues should be constructed next to those of the current President of BSP. Mayawati accused the Congress of being "anti-Dalit".172
In January 2012, the Election Commission ordered that all of the statues of Mayawati as well as recent statues of elephants (the symbol of the Bahujan Samaj Party) should be covered up until after February's Uttar Pradesh election.173174 On 26 July 2012 the statue in Lucknow was damaged by members of a group calling themselves "Uttar Pradesh Naunirman Sena".175176177 A replacement statue was re-installed overnight by the Lucknow city administration.178 Following the Lucknow vandalism, there were similar such incidents in other parts of Uttar Pradesh.179
World Bank criticism
The World Bank lent India funds for development, and Mayawati was to manage projects with this money in UP. The projects were preplanned and on schedule, but the Mayawati government made changes which put the projects behind schedule, including rapidly transferring upper caste managers in and out of rural posts.180 The World Bank sent a letter of complaint on 1 August 2002 to India's central government stating, "We have now learnt that project managers have been replaced within three weeks of assuming office. The project coordinator of the Diversified Agriculture Support Project has been changed twice in quick succession and at the moment there is no project coordinator. In the forestry project, numerous changes have been made over past six months ... Such developments do not augur well for these time-bound projects that require consistently good leadership."181 Mayawati initially responded by saying the letter was a fake and later said there had been a misunderstanding. She then decreased the number of transfers, stopped creating new posts, and temporarily reduced the level of government spending on furniture and vehicles in response to the allegations. The World Bank continued to criticise the level of corruption even after these measures had been implemented.180
As per the election affidavit of 2012 (Rajya Sabha), Mayawati has assets worth ₹111.64 crores and liabilities worth ₹87.68 lakhs (0.87 crores).184
Personal life and public image
Mayawati started her political career after Kanshi Ram, the founder of Bahujan Samaj Party, persuaded her not to join the civil service, but to enter politics.185 Mayawati chose to remain unmarried. She is also known as Iron Lady.186187188
Kanshi Ram praised Mayawati at her 47th birthday celebrations for her fundraising activities on behalf of the party. He stated that the party's eventual goal is to gain power at the national level, and that Mayawati's efforts had helped in that quest.134 Her birthdays have since become major media events at which she has appeared laden with diamonds.23 Her supporters have declared her birthday as Jan Kalyankari Diwas (People's Welfare Day). In 2009, the day was marked by the announcement of welfare schemes targeted towards poor and downtrodden people of the state189 and, in 2010, by the launch of social programmes with a value of over ₹ 7,312 crore.190
In 2007–08, Mayawati paid ₹26.26 crore (US$2.7 million) as income tax.191 She was at number 20 in the I-T department's compilation of the top 200 taxpayers' list with names like Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar. Mayawati paid ₹15 crore (US$1.6 million) in advance tax in April–December 2007. She paid ₹12.5 crore (US$1.3 million) on other incomes, most of which was declared by her as "gifts" by party members.192
When BSP workers garlanded Mayawati with currency notes on the occasion of the party's silver jubilee celebrations coinciding with BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary on 15 March 2010, Indian news channels and newspapers purported to expose the event as a ‘scandal’ on the presumption that the Chief Minister had publicly committed an act of corruption that was being flaunted openly and declaring that the garland of currency notes was made from money through corrupt means and not from donations of Bahujan Samaj Party supporters as Mayawati, her Ministers and supporters claimed. At Kanshi Ram's funeral ceremonies in 2006, Mayawati stated that both Kanshi Ram and herself had been, and she would continue to be, observant of Buddhist traditions and customs. She has stated her intention to formally convert to Buddhism when the political conditions enable her to become Prime Minister of India. Her act of performing the last rites (traditionally done by a male heir) was an expression of their views against gender discrimination.193194 When she was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, she publicly called Bhikkhus to prayer.195
Literature about Mayawati
Literature about Mayawati includes studies and books. One of the first works about her was journalist Mohammad Jamil Akhter's book, Iron Lady Kumari Mayawati.196 Her autobiographies are Mere Sangarshmai Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama in three volumes in Hindi and A Travelogue of My Struggle-ridden Life and of Bahujan Samaj, in two volumes in English.197Behenji : A Political Biography of Mayawati is a biography by veteran journalist Ajoy Bose.14
Raote, Rrishi (24 March 2012). "Under the elephant's spell". Business Standard News. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016. ↩
Rawat, Virendra Singh (13 November 2009). "Mayawati launches Noida Metro". Business Standard News. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016. ↩
Singh Yadav, Kushal Pal (31 July 2003). "Taj corridor project compromises heritage". Down To Earth. Society for Environmental Communications. Archived from the original on 13 November 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2012. ↩
Kirk, Jason (2011). India and the World Bank: The Politics of Aid and Influence. Anthem South Asian Studies. London; New York: Anthem Press. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-85728-412-9. ↩↩2