First Chandrashekhar Azad, now Chirag, why are these faces increasing the tension of Mayawati?

Before the 2027 assembly elections, a new political stir has started in the politics of Uttar Pradesh regarding the Dalit vote bank. On one hand, Chandrashekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party (ASP) is continuously trying to strengthen its hold in Dalit politics, on the other hand, Union Minister and National President of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan has also raised the political temperature by hinting at contesting the UP Assembly elections. In such a situation, the biggest question is whether this increasing activism in Dalit politics will increase the challenge to Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati?

Chirag Paswan has made it clear that his party is preparing for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Party MP and UP in-charge Arun Bharti has been given the responsibility of strengthening the organization and preparing the election strategy. The party claims that it is making preparations for all the 403 assembly seats in the state, although the final decision on how many seats will be contested will be taken later.

Why is Chirag focusing on UP?

Political experts believe that after strengthening his political identity in Bihar, Chirag Paswan now wants to increase his role at the national level. Amidst the weakening of Bahujan Samaj Party and discussion of new leadership in Dalit politics, Chirag is trying to establish himself as a big Dalit face. This is the reason why his party is emphasizing on expanding the organization in other states including Uttar Pradesh.

The population of Paswan (Dusadh) community in Uttar Pradesh is considered to be relatively small and is mainly spread in the districts of Purvanchal like Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Ballia, Mau, Gorakhpur, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. This number is not very large at the state level, but it is considered to have a local impact in some areas of Purvanchal.

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Azad and Chirag, will the equation of Dalit politics change?

Chandrashekhar Azad is already busy strengthening his political base among the Dalits, backward and deprived classes. His activism has increased further after the Lok Sabha elections. Now with the entry of Chirag Paswan, another contender seems to be emerging in Dalit politics. However, the social and political base of both the leaders is not completely the same. Chandrashekhar Azad’s influence is believed to be greater in western Uttar Pradesh and among the youth, while Chirag Paswan is trying to create an identity for his legacy and the Paswan community as well as the broader Dalit leadership.

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Will Mayawati’s challenge increase?

Political analysts believe that if Dalit votes get divided among different parties, it can have a direct impact on the electoral equations. However, it is too early to say which party will suffer the most loss. It will also depend on the candidates, alliances, local issues and election strategy. At present, it is certain that before the 2027 elections, not just one but many faces are now visible at the center of Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh. In such a situation, the political competition regarding Dalit vote bank is likely to intensify in the coming months.