From Delhi to Uttar Pradesh, Bhim Army's Big Plan as Chandrashekhar Azad Readies to Enter Poll Fray

Lucknow: Soon after announcing the formation of a political outfit, the Bhim Army said it will enter the fray in Delhi by fielding candidates in 15 Dalit and Muslim Assembly seats in the upcoming election.

Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad is expected to make the announcement on December 17 at the Delhi Press Club.

On Thursday, Aazad had taken to Twitter, vowing to form a political entity for the interests of the Bahujan community, exhorting honest and hardworking youth to contribute towards it.

Bhim Army spokesperson Kush confirmed that the party would contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi. He said, "We have finalised about 15 seats in Delhi from where we will be fielding our candidates in the upcoming assembly polls. We will be targeting mostly Dalit and Muslim dominated seats." He further added that the party will then focus on the Panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked about hurting the interests of the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with the formation of the political outfit, Kush said, "Just like Saheb Kanshi Ram formed the BSP on realising that the RPI had deviated from its path, we are also forming an alternative. The entire Bahujan community feels that the BSP has deviated from its path and is weakening the Bahujan movement."

A social reformer working for the Bahujans, Kanshi Ram was the founder of the BSP. The Republican Party of India (RPI) was founded by Dr BR Ambedkar.

"Today more than 80 percent of the BSP voters are ready to shift to Bhim Army once we float our political party. Many senior leaders have been joining the Bhim Army and many more are in the queue to join," Kush said.

The party spokesperson added that the focus of the proposed political outfit would be on Dalit and Muslim voters who are "under attack in this regime". He invited all parties involved in Bahujan politics to join, including the BSP. “Why can’t Dalit and Muslim become a CM? Why only people from upper caste become CM," he said.

The name of the Bhim Army's party may be announced in a rally soon to be organised in Lucknow, sources said.

The BSP has gone on a spree firing several of its old leaders, an opportunity that the Bhim Army can encash.