Uttar Pradesh: With RLD's Support, Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad May Contest Lok Sabha Poll From Nagina

Chandra Shekhar Azad, the founder of the Bhim Army, is poised to make his debut in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Sources according to The Hindu indicate ongoing discussions about his potential inclusion in the proposed alliance involving the Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and the Indian National Congress under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Hailing from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, Western Uttar Pradesh, Azad is likely to contest from Nagina, a SC reserved Lok Sabha constituency currently held by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Girish Chandra.

Speaking to The Hindu, Azad affirmed his intent to participate in the Lok Sabha elections, stating, "For the last nine years, the Bhim Army has led people's struggles, but without a presence in the legislatures, we feel that we reached a roadblock. Vote is after all the strongest weapon in the hand of the common man. And we want them to wield it, to replace the current political class, who show their faces only during the elections."

The selection of the Nagina Lok Sabha seat carries significance. Before delimitation in 2008, a substantial portion of it was part of the Bijnor Lok Sabha constituency.

Notably, several national Dalit leaders, including Mayawati, Ram Vilas Paswan, and Meira Kumar, have contested from this seat in the past, including the famous 1985 showdown between the three, in which Kumar won with Paswan as the runner-up.

Interestingly, all three major parties of Uttar Pradesh have won this seat once since its formation. The SP won in 2009, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014 and the BSP in 2019.

With approximately 35 per cent Muslim population in the constituency, Azad's electoral prospects could improve if the SP supports him. To kickstart his campaign, he is set to hold a public meeting on 9 October.

In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election, Azad contested against BJP leader Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur Urban but lost his deposit. Sources suggest that RLD chief Jayant Singh is advocating for Azad and attempting to persuade the ally SP to allocate at least one seat to him.

While various quarters are pressuring for a window to accommodate the BSP within the INDIA bloc, the SP is not keen on welcoming its political rival. Azad has also been highly critical of BSP supremo Mayawati, which aligns with the SP's stance.

Azad, who is not currently aligned with the INDIA bloc, commended the efforts of the parties to unite, acknowledging the prevailing challenges including high inflation, unemployment, and caste atrocities.

Despite ideological differences with the Congress, the largest party in the INDIA bloc, he expressed admiration for the work of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and suggested that he could be a future Prime Minister.

Additionally, the Azad Samaj Party, Azad revealed, plans to participate in upcoming assembly elections in four states: Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. The party has initiated the groundwork for these elections with a series of public meetings scheduled in the coming months.

Highlighting the void in Dalit politics, Azad emphasized the need for strong representation in state assemblies and Parliament for the Dalits, minorities, tribals, and backward classes, as their voices currently go unheard.