BSP has lost its identity, Azad Samaj Party alternative in UP: Chandra Shekhar Aazad

New Delhi, July 11

Accusing the Bahujan Samaj Party of going soft on the Centre for the fear of central probe agencies, Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad on Sunday pitched his new political outfit as an alternative to the Mayawati-led party which he said was losing its identity by working against the principles of its founder Kanshi Ram.

The Bhim Army chief, whose political outfit Azad Samaj Party, launched last year, is seeking to establish itself as a defender of the rights of Dalits, other backward classes and minorities, said a “grand alliance” is the need of the hour for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls next year and all those who are serious about stopping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from coming back to power must join hands.

In an interview with PTI, Aazad said he has no qualms in aligning with anybody, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), provided the objective is to forge a strong alliance to defeat the Yogi Adityanath government which he alleged was running a “dictatorial” administration.

“We are in talks with all (opposition) parties. When any problem confronts the state and the country all parties discuss matters. In our party, the core committee is the supreme body and it will take a call on alliances,” the Azad Samaj Party chief said, adding his party has not formalised any tie-ups as of now for the assembly polls.

“Our efforts are directed at forging a grand alliance to take on the BJP for the sake of the people. This misrule must come to an end. So a grand alliance should be formed to stop the BJP,” the 34-year-old leader stressed.

Calling for a common minimum programme, he batted for having a coalition government in UP, saying when parties get a hold over power alone then dictatorial situations arise “as it is happening now”.

Asked about the barbs directed at him by BSP chief Mayawati, he said, “I am not scared of criticism and allegations.

To a pointed query on whether he was open to an alliance with the BSP for the assembly polls, he said he was open to an alliance with all “anti-BJP” parties.

However, Aazad was also scathing in his criticism of the Mayawati-led party, but added that his differences with it were ideological, not personal.

“The BSP has lost its identity and it is because of its own actions, not due to anyone else. Look at 2012 (UP assembly polls), 2014 (Lok Sabha polls), 2017 (state polls) and 2019 (LS polls), they are in decline,” Aazad, also known as ‘Raavan’, said.

“Look at other states, now they (BSP) are getting less than 1 per cent votes, be it in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal. The BSP is in decline because its leaders don’t want to work on the ground level and only go to the people during elections and the people are understanding this,” he claimed.

Azad alleged that the BSP was ignoring its founder the late Kanshi Ram’s ideals and was working against those principles.

The BSP became a national party in 12 years on the basis of those principles but that status is also in danger now, he said.

Pointing to the BSP’s “decline”, he said the Azad Samaj Party was not there in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019 polls, and the BSP was itself to blame for it.

“We have given an alternative to the people and showed our mettle with our work on the ground. We pledge to be with people before and after elections,” the Azad Samaj Party chief said.

He also accused the BSP of going soft on the Centre on various issues for the fear of central probe agencies.

“When you have cases of CBI and ED, you are caught in the stranglehold of the Centre and cannot put forward your views strongly,” Aazad said.

“There are several such cases (on Mayawati) and her brother,” he alleged, while asserting his party was playing the role of a responsible opposition despite being just over a year old.

About the Congress as a potential ally in UP, Aazad said there was no rift with the party but his outfit was raising its voice wherever deprived were wronged and did so recently in Congress-ruled Rajasthan.

“I don’t have a personal problem (with the Congress). All those who believe that the BJP must be stopped and that it has harmed the state, must come together,” he said.

In the run up to the UP assembly polls next year, Aazad is leading a ‘Bahujan Cycle Yatra’ with the slogan ‘Jaati Chorho Samaj Jodo’ from July 1-21 to “counter the communal atmosphere in the country and for uniting people”.

“The BJP works on the policy of divide and rule. We work on the politics of brotherhood and equality. Caste divisions create animosity between the people and because of this the country has lagged behind in development,” he said.

The message of the rally is to break caste barriers and establish brotherhood, Aazad said.

He accused the UP government of undermining reservation in appointments and carrying out “recruitment scams”. He also alleged that there was a major issue of inflation and the declining law-and-order situation in the state.

Aazad also hit out at the Yogi government over violence during filing of nominations in block pramukh polls, alleging democracy was being “abducted” in the state.

“In the next few weeks, many people from the BJP, BSP, SP, Congress and other parties will join us. We will fight the 2022 polls with full might,” he said.

The Azad Samaj Party stood third in the Bulandshahr bypolls, ahead of the SP-RLD alliance and the Congress, and did well in the Zila panchayat elections, particularly in western UP, he said.

Aazad launched his political outfit the Azad Samaj Party last year on March 15—the birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram. — PTI