Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad ‘Ravan’ is set to launch a political party representing Dalit community on the birth anniversary of Bahujan Samaj Party founder and Mayawati’s mentor Kanshi Ram in Delhi on March 15.
The launch date has been carefully and strategically chosen by the Bhim Army to woo Dalits.
Several leaders of smaller political outfits in Uttar Pradesh, including Suheldeo Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), Peace Party and others, are likely to be present at the launch of the new party.
Ravan’s announcement in this regard has made the BSP brass (read Mayawati) tizzy. The BSP has convened a meeting of western UP leaders in Lucknow in the first week of April.
Sources in the BSP said that the major cause of concern for the party brass was the Bhim Army chief’s appeal among youngsters and leaders from Dalit fraternity. They said to overcome the Bhim Army’s growing popularity, a new strategy was also being discussed in the BSP to counter its effect on Dalit youths.
The launch of a new party by the Bhim Army has been in the pipeline, as during a recent visit to Lucknow on March 2, Ravan had hinted on these lines and announced that his outfit would contest the UP Assembly polls in 2022.
The sources said that three names were being considered for the new party — Azad Bahujan Party, Bahujan Awam Party and Azad Samaj Party.
The Bhim Army leaders are hopeful that senior leaders from other parties would also join the outfit. Soon after the launch, a membership drive will be launched across the country and a party manifesto will be finalised.
The Bhim Army chief had recently met Bharatiya Janata Party’s former ally and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar in Lucknow, leading to speculations of him joining Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha ahead of 2022 Assembly polls.