Lucknow, May 24 (IANS): The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), that had avoided banking on young blood, is now apparently feeling threatened by the growing influence of the Bhim Army among Dalit youth.

The Bhim Army has been rapidly making inroads among the Dalit youth and its leader Chandra Shekhar is popular among them.

BSP President Mayawati has now told her party cadres to bring in youth and give them responsibility in the party.

The party will decentralise responsibilities and assign more of its workers the important work within the party structure.

Mayawati has already appointed her nephew Akash Anand as the party's national coordinator but he lacks visibility and outreach among the cadres.

The BSP has its focus on Lok Sabha 2024 elections and is keen to retain its national party status.

The party also wants to do well in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana in 2023, said sources.

"While in UP, the focus will still be on Muslim votes -- even though the strategy did not work in municipal polls -- as was conveyed in the review meeting to the leaders and workers, the other states will have to work out their strategies to reach out to Muslims, Dalits and EBCs, without overlooking the upper caste," said a party functionary.