The rise of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has been one of the most significant developments in the politics of Uttar Pradesh since the 1980s. It had the potential of a movement whose goal was to break the caste system and introduce social transformation. Yet, the BSP has failed to displace upper caste forces and, in many cases, has compromised with them.

This study is based upon extensive fieldwork in Western UP, government reports of the period when the party was in power, and interviews of dalit leaders both within and outside the party.