The Dalit enigma: Why Mayawati is going solo in Punjab

Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party will contest Punjab's 2027 elections alone. This move highlights the difficulty of forming a unified Dalit vote bloc. Punjab has India's highest Scheduled Caste population, yet it remains divided. Mainstream parties like AAP and Congress have appealed across caste lines. The Bahujan Samaj Party's gamble tests its ability to unite this diverse electorate.