ASSEMBLY POLLS 2022: Akhilesh Yadav anti-Dalit, only wants their votes: Chandrashekhar Azad

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, January 15

High drama continued in Uttar Pradesh with Dalit leader Chandrashekhar Azad ‘Ravan’ today claiming that SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav was only interested in Dalit votes, but did not want them with him.

Azad said his party, Azad Samaj Party, wanted to join the SP-led alliance to defeat the BJP. “After all discussions, I felt that Yadav does not want Dalits in this alliance, he just wants Dalit vote bank. He humiliated the people of Bahujan Samaj. I tried hard, but the alliance could not happen,” Azad said, adding that efforts are being made to form a third front of several opposition parties.

“However, if that does not materialise, Azad Samaj will go alone,” he added. Yadav has stitched an alliance with several small caste-based parties, building his campaign on social justice for backward classes and Dalits. Azad said leaders of backward classes, Dalits and others were supporting Yadav with a belief that he would do social justice. “However, I believe that Yadav does not understand the meaning of social justice,” Azad said.

Yadav, however, rubbished Azad’s claims, saying he had offered him two seats. On CM Yogi Adityanath having food at a Dalit household, Azad said it was clear that he still considered “Dalits untouchable hence is trying to prove a point by going and eating there”.

SP gets EC notice for violating Covid norms

The EC on Saturday issued a notice to the Samajwadi Party for organising a public gathering “in the name of virtual rally” at its Lucknow office on Friday in violation of Covid-19 norms. PTI