Bhim Army's Chandrashekhar Azad Trivial Political Player, Can't Even Win A Council Election: BSP Leader Akash Anand

Akash Anand, the coordinator for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and nephew of party supremo Mayawati, has labeled Chandrashekhar Azad, the head of the Azad Samaj Party and Bhim Army founder, as a chhutbhaiyya (trivial) political player.

While campaigning in support of BSP Lok Sabha candidates across several seats, Anand remarked that figures like Azad are commonplace and ineffectual.

Indicating a dismissive view of Azad's political stature and influence, Anand said that thousands like him can be found on the streets.

In an interview with the BBC, Anand responded to questions about the potential challenge posed by Chandrashekhar Azad to the BSP.

Anand said that how could Azad, who failed to secure his deposit in election, be considered a serious contender against a national party like the BSP.

"Those who cannot win a council election, cannot even save their deposit. How can you compare them to a national party?" Anand questioned, ABP News reported.

In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Azad contested from Gorakhpur seat against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but ended up at the fourth place and also lost his deposit.

Anand also suggested that Azad and his supporters merely distract from more significant political discussions, and that small parties like Azad’s are often propped up by opposition forces to fragment BSP's voter base.

Claiming that Chandrashekhar Azad is everyone's B team, Anand indicated that Azad's political alignment and relevance are being manipulated by other parties to undermine BSP's influence.

Chandrashekhar Azad is contesting the election from the UP's Nagina Lok Sabha seat, where voting took place on Friday in the first phase of the national elections.

Initially, Azad had hoped to secure this seat through the INDI Alliance, but following a fallout with Akhilesh Yadav, he decided to enter the fray independently.

The seat is witnessing a multi-party contest with candidates from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also in the fray.

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