New political activity is emerging in Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh. Chandrashekhar Azad, national president of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), is steadily increasing his activism, from the streets to Parliament. Through participation in protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demonstrations in support of the opposition outside Parliament, and frequent visits to the districts of Uttar Pradesh, he is striving to establish himself as a strong voice for Dalits, backward classes, and youth.
On the other hand, the Bahujan Samaj Party is also preparing to inject new energy into its organization in response to this changing political climate. Political circles are abuzz with talk that Mayawati has decided to re-introduce Akash Anand into Uttar Pradesh politics as part of this strategy.
Organizations are expanding from Western UP to Bundelkhand
Chandrashekhar Azad’s strongest political base is considered to be western Uttar Pradesh. His organizational hold has steadily strengthened in districts like Saharanpur, Deoband, Nakur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bijnor, and Hapur. Furthermore, efforts are underway to expand the party organization in Agra, Aligarh, Hathras, and Bulandshahr. In the past few months, he has also visited Prayagraj, Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ayodhya, and several districts of Bundelkhand, holding meetings with party workers.
Political experts believe that after building the organization in western Uttar Pradesh, Chandrashekhar Azad’s focus is now on Awadh and Purvanchal. To this end, district-level meetings, membership drives, and youth engagement programs are being conducted. The party is striving to build its organization down to the booth level across the state before the 2027 assembly elections.
BSP eyes increasing activism among youth
The BSP leadership also recognizes that new political preferences are emerging among Dalit youth. For this reason, the party is continuously working to activate the organization by appointing district in-charges. It is believed that Mayawati has reactivated Akash Anand in Uttar Pradesh as part of a strategy to strengthen the party’s hold among youth and new voters.
According to political discussions, Akash Anand has been recalled from his Rajasthan responsibilities and activated in Uttar Pradesh. It is expected that he will hold organizational meetings across the state, increase communication with youth, and accelerate grassroots campaigns through social media. There is also talk that he may appear at protests or opposition events at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, although there has been no official confirmation from the BSP.
BSP’s vote share has steadily declined.
The BSP, which once held power in Uttar Pradesh with an absolute majority, has seen its electoral performance weaken over the past few years. The party lost power after 2012, and its support base shrank significantly in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections. The party also failed to win any seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Political analysts believe that a portion of the Dalit vote is divided among various parties, and for this reason, the BSP is now attempting to reinvigorate its organization.
The contest in Dalit politics will be interesting in 2027
There are signs that the competition for the Dalit vote bank will intensify ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. While Chandrashekhar Azad is continuously trying to expand his political base through agitation, public relations, and organizational expansion, the BSP, under the leadership of Akash Anand, appears to be working on a new strategy to maintain its traditional support base. This political contest is expected to be one of the most important battles in Uttar Pradesh politics in the coming months.