Decision on alliance only in 2024, says Chandra Shekhar Azad

Contrary to the buzz in Uttar Pradesh’s political corridors that the Dalit group, Azad Samaj Party (ASP) led by Chandra Shekhar Azad ‘Ravan’, is joining hands with the Samajwadi Party-led alliance for the 2024 polls, Mr. Azad said the Parliamentary election was far away and there was no alliance as of now.

Contrary to the buzz in Uttar Pradesh’s political corridors that the Dalit group, Azad Samaj Party (ASP) led by Chandra Shekhar Azad ‘Ravan’, is joining hands with the Samajwadi Party-led alliance for the 2024 polls, Mr. Azad said the Parliamentary election was far away and there was no alliance as of now. He said any discussion about the alliance would happen in 2024 only. Earlier, Mr. Azad campaigned for SP-RLD candidates in Khatauli and Rampur Assembly by-polls and went along with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birthplace on April 14.

“Going together to Ambedkar’s birthplace is different and forming an alliance is a different process, as of now there is no alliance for Lok Sabha,” Mr. Azad told The Hindu.

The ASP leader said the focus was on strengthening the party’s organisation and expanding its base among depressed sections of society. “Our primary focus is on strengthening the organisational structure of the ASP before 2024 polls, three important State polls — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh — are our focus, after these elections our party and core committee people will decide with whom to ally in Uttar Pradesh and country for 2024 general elections,” he said.

Mr. Azad, who campaigned for the SP-RLD alliance in the recent Rampur and Khatauli Vidhan Sabha by-polls, said the opposition parties tried for new combinations in these elections and sought the ASP’s help which ultimately resulted in the success of the alliance. “We were ignored in the alliance which was formed during the 2022 Vidhan Sabha polls, hence the ASP fought independently. These opposition parties realised they need to do something new and asked for help in bypolls. We campaigned ultimately resulting in the victory,” added the ASP leader.

On the declining electoral graph of the once-dominant Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a Dalit-centric party in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Azad said due to inaction of the BSP there was disappointment among the core support base and he wanted to fill the void by standing up to the expectations of the depressed social groups, suggesting the BSP had practically lived its utility. “Due to the inaction of Behenji [Mayawati] there is disappointment among the oppressed social groups. I am trying to again bring hope among them,” the ASP leader said. Mr. Azad earlier founded the Bhim Army in 2014, a social organisation which works on Dalit issues and later launched the party in 2020 on the 86th birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram, the founder of the BSP.

The party failed to taste any electoral success but considered to enjoy some support among Dalit population in districts of western Uttar Pradesh, forcing parties like the SP to send feelers to expand their social coalition against the BJP, which is polling at least 10% more votes then the SP-led alliance since last two elections. The party’s stated goal is to save the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Dalits and other depressed sections.