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Chandra Shekhar Azad hits out at Samajwadi Party over blue makeover of its student wing
Nagina MP says Dalit votes shifted from BSP because Mayawati didn’t raise her voice against exploitation of the community
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Taking a jibe at Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav’s move to dress his party’s student wing in blue uniforms, Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) chief Chandra Shekhar Azad on Friday said changing colours doesn’t alter the party’s character.
Addressing a social justice workers’ conference in Mishrikh assembly constituency in Sitapur district, the Nagina MP said, “You can make them look like the BSP workers by sporting blue dresses, but how will you change their character?”
Calling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national president Mayawati his leader, the ASP chief said, “Dalit votes shifted from BSP because ‘behenji’ (Mayawati) didn’t raise her voice against the exploitation of Dalits under the BJP government.”
Seeking support for the ASP in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, he said both the SP and BJP are working on the same track.
“The SP government changed the names of districts named after Dalit icons: Sant Ravidas Nagar, Kanshi Ram Nagar, Mahamaya and Jyotiba Phule Nagar. Now, the BJP government is also changing the names of districts,” he said.
“When ASP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, measures will be taken to check the exploitation of the weaker sections. We will also implement prohibition. The open sale of liquor has adversely impacted the Bahujan Samaj and youths. We will open schools to impart quality education and improve facilities in the government hospitals,” he said.
The ASP supports the demand for holding elections with ballot papers to check irregularities, he said.
Having supported the Gen-Z movement, he announced the ASP will launch an agitation for reservation in Delhi on September 23.
The ASP, which has finalised candidates for 45 assembly seats in UP, will hold workers’ conferences in Ayodhya district on Saturday and Basti on Sunday, he said.
