Bhim Army chief is a BJP agent: Mayawati

Mayawati said the ruling party tacitly supported the Bhim Army in western UP to weaken the BSP’s hold on the Dalit community — which would, in turn, help the BJP. Bhim Army’s supporters, too, are from the Dalit community.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday described Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad as an agent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the BJP is backing his move to contest from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Varanasi constituency in order to split Dalit votes.

Mayawati claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier planned to make Chandrashekhar a BSP member to collect information about activities of the party. (AFP)

Mayawati said the ruling party tacitly supported the Bhim Army in western UP to weaken the BSP’s hold on the Dalit community — which would, in turn, help the BJP. Bhim Army’s supporters, too, are from the Dalit community.

She also claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier planned to make Chandrashekhar a BSP member to collect information about activities of the party, but decided to field him from Varanasi when that plan failed to take off.

Chandrashekhar, who has sharpened his attack on the BJP, has said he would contest against the PM in Varanasi.

The Bharatiya Janata Party denied any connection with Chandrashekhar.

“...she does not want a Dalit leader from outside her family to lead the community. She is often targeting Chandrashekhar. The BSP chief is also against the BJP that is working for the welfare of all the communities, irrespective of caste and creed. The BJP is against the politics promoted by Bhim Army,” BJP state unit spokesperson Chandramohan said.