News Analysis India

Tag: Bahujan Samaj Party

  • BSP has lost its identity, Azad Samaj Party alternative in UP: Chandra Shekhar Aazad

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Accusing the Bahujan Samaj Party of going soft on the Centre for the fear of central probe agencies, Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad on Sunday pitched his new political outfit as an alternative to the Mayawati-led party which he said was losing its identity by working against the principles of its founder Kanshi Ram.

    The Bhim Army chief, whose political outfit Azad Samaj Party launched last year is seeking to establish itself as a defender of the rights of Dalits, other backward classes and minorities, said a “grand alliance” is the need of the hour for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls next year and all those who are serious about stopping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from coming back to power must join hands.

    In an interview with PTI, Aazad said he has no qualms in aligning with anybody, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), provided the objective is to forge a strong alliance to defeat the Yogi Adityanath government which he alleged was running a “dictatorial” administration.

    “We are in talks with all (opposition) parties. When any problem confronts the state and the country all parties discuss matters. In our party, the core committee is the supreme body and it will take a call on alliances,” the Azad Samaj Party chief said, adding that his party has not formalised any tie-ups as of now for the assembly polls.

    “Our efforts are directed at forging a grand alliance to take on the BJP for the sake of the people. This misrule must come to an end. So a grand alliance should be formed to stop the BJP,” the 34-year-old leader stressed.

    Calling for a common minimum programme, he batted for having a coalition government in UP, saying when parties get a hold over power alone then dictatorial situations arise “as it is happening now”.

    Asked about the barbs directed at him by BSP chief Mayawati, he said if someone criticises him, he is not perturbed by it.

    “I am not scared of criticism and allegations,” Aazad said.

    To a pointed query on whether he was open to an alliance with the BSP for the assembly polls, he said he was open to an alliance with all “anti-BJP” parties.

    However, Aazad was also scathing in his criticism of the Mayawati-led party, while adding that his differences with it were ideological and not personal.

    “The BSP has lost its identity and it is because of its own actions, not due to anyone else.

    Look at 2012 (UP assembly polls), 2014 (Lok Sabha polls), 2017 (assembly polls) and 2019 (LS polls), they are in decline,” Aazad, also known as ‘Raavan’, said.

    “Look at other states, now they (BSP) are getting less than 1 per cent votes, be it in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal.

    The BSP is in decline because its leaders don’t want to work on the ground level and only go to the people during elections and the people are understanding this,” he claimed.

    Alleging that the BSP was ignoring its founder the late Kanshi Ram’s ideals, Aazad alleged that the Mayawati-led party was working against those principles.

    The BSP became a national party in 12 years on the basis of those principles but its national party status is also in danger now, he said.

    Pointing to the BSP’s “decline”, he said the Azad Samaj Party was not there in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019 polls, and the BSP was itself to blame for it.

    “We have given an alternative to the people and showed our mettle with our work on the ground.

    We pledge to be with people before and after elections,” the Azad Samaj Party chief said.

    He also accused the BSP of going soft on the Centre on various issues for the fear of central probe agencies.

    “When you have cases of CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), ED (Enforcement Directorate), you are caught in the stranglehold of the Centre and you cannot put forward your views strongly,” Aazad said.

    “There are several such cases (on Mayawati) and also her brother,” he alleged, while asserting that his party was playing the role of a responsible opposition despite being just over a year old.

    Asked about the Congress as a potential ally in UP, Aazad said there was no rift with the party but his outfit was raising its voice wherever deprived were wronged and did so recently in Congress-ruled Rajasthan.

    “I don’t have a personal problem (with the Congress). All those who believe that the BJP must be stopped and that it has harmed the state, they must come together,” he asserted.

    In the run up to the UP assembly polls next year, Aazad is leading a ‘Bahujan Cycle Yatra’ with the slogan ‘Jaati Chorho Samaj Jodo’ from July 1-21, seeking to “counter the communal atmosphere in the country and for uniting people”.

    “The BJP works on the policy of divide and rule. We work on the politics of brotherhood and equality. Caste divisions create animosity between the people and because of this the country has lagged behind in development,” he said.

    The message of this rally is to break caste barriers and establish brotherhood, Aazad said.

    He accused the UP government of undermining reservation in appointments and carrying out “recruitment scams”.

    He also alleged that there was a major issue of inflation and the declining law and order situation in the state, with kidnappings of traders becoming a norm and women and sisters not safe.

    Aazad also hit out at the Yogi government over the violence during the filing of nominations in block pramukh polls, alleging that democracy was being “abducted” in the state.

    Aazad launched his political outfit the Azad Samaj Party last year on March 15 — the birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram. 

  • ‘C’ in Congress stands for cunning: Mayawati

    Mayawati alleged that as long as the Congress, the BJP or the Samajwadi Party are in power in Uttar Pradesh, no election can be held in a free and fair manner.

  • BSP expels former Punjab unit chief for ‘anti-party’ activities

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The BSP has expelled its former Punjab unit chief Rashpal Singh Raju for alleged anti-party activities, a senior leader said on Monday.

    Raju, who headed the party’s state unit during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, was accused of raising questions over the seat-sharing formula between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BSP.

    He was also accused of making statements, aimed at misleading the party workers against the alliance over Garhshankar assembly constituency.

    By doing so, Raju has challenged the decision of the party chief regarding the alliance and seat-sharing arrangement, Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) Punjab unit president Jasvir Singh Garhi said.

    Garhi raised this issue along with other matters during a meeting with BSP supremo Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh a few days back.

    The SAD and BSP have formed an alliance for the 2022 Punjab Assembly election.

    As part of the tie-up, the BSP would fight 20 of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab, while the rest would be contested by the SAD.

    The seats which the BSP would contest are Kartarpur Sahib, Jalandhar-West, Jalandhar-North, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur, Tanda, Dasuya, Chamkaur Sahib, Bassi Pathana, Mehal Kalan, Nawanshahr, Ludhiana North, Sujanpur, Bhoa, Pathankot, Mohali, Amritsar North, Amritsar Central, Payal and Anandpur Sahib.

    The SAD-BSP alliance had contested the 1996 Lok Sabha polls together and won 11 out of 13 seats in Punjab.

    While three seats were won by the BSP and rest were by the SAD.

    Punjab has 31.94 per cent Dalits out of total population in the state with maximum concentration in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Kapurthala districts.

  • BSP will not contest zila panchayat chairman polls, says Mayawati

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: BSP president Mayawati on Monday said that her party has decided not to contest the zila panchayat chairman elections as it wants to channelise its energy on strengthening the organisation before the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.

    The BSP president asserted that the people of the state want her party to form the next government and said she will go to polls with the slogan “Uttar Pradesh ko bachana hai, bachana hai, sarvjan ko bachana hai, bachana hai, BSP ko satta mein lana hai, zaroor lana hai” (We need to save Uttar Pradesh and save everyone and bring back BSP to power).

    Instead of contesting the zila parishad chairman elections, the party has decided to concentrate on strengthening the party organisation and expand the base, Mayawati told newspersons.

    Zila panchayat chairman polls in the state will be held on July 3.

    “Once the BSP forms its government in the state, the majority of the zila panchayat chairman themselves will join the BSP as they cannot function without power. We have kept this fact in mind and so decided not to contest the election,” she said.

    Alleging misuse of state machinery in the polls, she said the BJP was using the same tactics that were used by the earlier Samajwadi Party government.

    The former chief minister claimed that during the BSP government, there had never been any fraud or wrongdoings in big or small elections so as to keep the faith of the people intact in democracy.

    “I also want to make it clear that if we would have been sure that these elections will be impartial then the party would have fought and at many places, BSP candidates would have proved victorious,” she said.

    She exuded confidence that her party will form the next government in the state and asked BSP workers and leaders to be wary of all kinds of tactics of Opposition parties.

    “Opposition parties are working as per a planned conspiracy, especially through the media to spread rumours that BSP does not appear to be as active as it should have been for poll preparations so that our workers get discouraged,” she said stressing that ever since the first wave of corona subsided, she has been in Lucknow holding regular meetings with partymen.

    “I have been in Lucknow since the beginning of February and have been holding meetings on a regular basis for strengthening the party at every level. But unlike other parties I do not invite the media to show what all is being done. Meetings with party men of other states are also being held. Media, which is a strong pillar of democracy, should also not underestimate the BSP,” she added.

  • Akali Dal announces alliance with BSP for Punjab Assembly elections 2022

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) formed an alliance on Saturday for the 2022 Punjab Assembly election.

    Announcing the tie-up at a press conference, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal described it as a “new day in politics of Punjab”.

    “Today, is a historic day….a big turn in Punjab’s politics,” he said in the presence of BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra.

    He said the SAD and the BSP will jointly fight the 2022 polls and other elections together.

    The Mayawati-led BSP will fight 20 of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab, while the rest will be contested by the SAD, he said.

    SAD Chief Sukhbir Badal said out of total of 117 assembly seats, BSP will be fight on 20 seats & rest will be fought by SAD in Malwa region BSP will fight 7 seats, Magha region 5 seats & Doaba region 8 seats#Pb @Newindianxpress, @TheMornStandard, @gsvasu_TNIE, @khogensingh1
    — Harpreet Singh Bajwa (@Harpreet_TNIE) June 12, 2021

    Among the seats which the BSP will contest are Kartarpur Sahib in Jalandhar, Jalandhar-West, Jalandhar-North, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur Urban, Dasuya, Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar district, Bassi Pathana, Sujanpur in Pathankot, Mohali, Amritsar North and Amritsar Central.

    The SAD earlier had a tie-up with the BJP and the Badal-led party walked out of the NDA over the farm laws issue last year.

    The BJP used to contest 23 seats under its alliance with the SAD.

  • Profiteering during emergency indecent: Mayawati on Punjab government’s alleged sale of vaccines

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday hit out at the Congress-led Punjab government for allegedly selling COVID-19 vaccine doses procured under the state quota to private hospitals at a higher rate, saying profiteering during an emergency is indecent and inhuman.

    Her remarks came a day after the Punjab government asked private hospitals to return all vaccine stock meant for the 18-44 age group and ordered a probe into the allegations. The recalled vaccine doses will be administered free to this age group by the government, state Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said.

    2. पंजाब सरकार की इस गलत हरकत का मीडिया द्वारा पर्दाफाश करने के बाद स्पष्ट है कि कोरोना वैक्सीन के सम्बंध में कांग्रेस नेतृत्व का अभी तक का जो भी स्टैण्ड व बयानबाजी आदि रही है उसमें गंभीरता कम व नाटकबाजी ज्यादा लगती है। केन्द्र सरकार इसका उचित संज्ञान ले, बीएसपी की यह माँग। 2/2
    — Mayawati (@Mayawati) June 5, 2021

    In a tweet in Hindi, Mayawati said, “The Congress government of Punjab is buying COVID-19 vaccines at Rs 400 (each) from the Centre and selling them to private hospitals at Rs 1,060 instead of passing on the benefits to the people through government hospitals. Profiteering during an emergency is indecent, inhuman, condemnable and extremely saddening.”

    This makes it clear that the Congress’ stand and statements on vaccines so far lacked seriousness. The BSP demands that the Centre take cognisance of this, she said.

    Referring to media reports, Union minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar had on Friday alleged the Punjab government got over 1.40 lakh doses of Covaxin at Rs 400 each and gave some of them to 20 private hospitals at Rs 1,000 each.

    This is “dangerous” news, he had said. The Centre has also written to the Punjab government seeking a clarification over reports that it sold Covaxin to private hospitals and earned a profit.

  • Centre should bear expenses of treatment of COVID patients from weaker sections: BSP supremo Mayawati

    Mayawati demanded that the Centre should bear the expenses of treatment of COVID-19 patients from the poor and the weaker sections.

  • SC stays rape trial against BSP MP Atul Rai in UP court, issues notice to him on victim’s plea for transfer

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court Monday stayed the ongoing trial against Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Atul Rai in a rape case and sought his response on the plea of the alleged victim seeking transfer of the case from Prayagraj to Delhi on grounds including threat to her life.

    A bench of Justice Surya Kant took note of the submissions of lawyer Rakesh Mishra, appearing for the woman, and issued notice to the MP from Ghoshi Lok Sabha constituency seeking his response within four weeks.

    “The Court is convened through Video Conferencing. Application seeking permission to file the Transfer Petition is granted. Application seeking exemption from filing official translation of Annexure is allowed. Issue notice returnable within four weeks.

    “Meanwhile, proceedings in Criminal Case pending before the Special Judge (M.P./M.L.A.) Court, Allahabad (Prayagraj), U.P. shall remain stayed,” the bench said in its order.

    An FIR was lodged in 2019 at Police station Lanka in Varanasi by the woman and the MP was arrested subsequently.

    “That on December 18, 2020, when the victim went for court hearing with her witness.   Both were beaten inside the court premises at Prayagraj and for which another FIR has been lodged at Colonelganj Police station at Allahabad,” the lawyer said.

    Fearing threat to her life and also that she will not get a fair trial in a special court at Prayagraj, the plea seeking transfer of trial to Delhi has been filed, the lawyer said.

    Earlier in January last year, the apex court had refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court order, which had granted two-day parole to Rai for taking oath as Member of Parliament in New Delhi.

    Rai, who had won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a BSP ticket from Ghosi parliamentary constituency in UP, is in jail in connection with the rape case.

  • Budget session: BSP will boycott President’s address, says Mayawati

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Bahujan Samaj Party will boycott the president’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses over the Centre’s stand on the farmers’ demand to repeal the new agri laws and its “dilly-dallying” approach on matters of public interest, the party’s chief Mayawati said on Friday.

    She made the announcement just hours before President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses, making BSP the 19th party to announce boycott of the address.

    A day before the start of the Budget session of Parliament, as many as 18 opposition parties, led by the Congress, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the TMC, had decided on Thursday to boycott the president’s address in solidarity with the farmers protesting against the new farm laws.

    “In protest over (the Centre) not accepting the farmers’ demand of repealing the three controversial agri laws and adopting a dilly-dallying approach in matters of public interest, the BSP has decided to boycott the president’s address in Parliament,” Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “Also, I request the Centre to take back the farm laws and normalise the situation in Delhi. Innocent farmers should not be made a scapegoat in the the wake of the violence on Republic Day. There is a lot of truth in the objection of BKU and other leaders from UP in this matter,” she said.

    While 16 opposition parties issued a joint statement announcing their decision to boycott the president’s address, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had also separately announced their decision to boycott the address.

    The parties that jointly announced that they will boycott the president’s address were the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the National Conference, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Trinamool Congress, the Shiv Sena, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the CPI, the Indian Union Muslim League, the RSP, the People’s Democratic Party, the MDMK, the Kerala Congress (M) and the All India United Democratic Front.

  • BSP chief Mayawati to go alone in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand Assembly polls in 2022

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati has ruled out the possibility of entering into alliance with any political player in the 2022 Assembly elections for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand here on Friday.

    “The state assembly polls are due in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand shortly. Here, BSP wants to make it clear that unlike Bihar assembly polls and Lok Sabha polls, we will not be forming any alliance withanyone for 2022. BSP will contest in both UP and Uttarakhand on its own and will form the government,” stated Mayawati.

    Mayawati also added that her party would ensure free COVID-19 vaccine for all if voted to power. The BSP chief was speaking on the occasion of her 65th birthday on Friday. While attaining the stature of veteran politician, Mayawati’s immediate challenge is to revive her party maintaining its relevance in the political landscape of Uttar Pradesh.

    Reiterating her party’s commitment to the deprived sections of the society, Mayawati said: “Our party is dedicated to the betterment of poor and the neglected. That is why BSP had formed  government in Uttar Pradesh for four times.” 

    “But castiest, capitalist and narrow-minded opposition parties could not digest it so they got united against BSP and hatched conspiracies to stop our party from coming to power in the state. Now these opposition parties are busy dividing votes of the weaker sections of the society,” she added.

    Exhorting her party cadre to fight against all odds to regain the lost ground in the state, the BSP chief said: “Our party workers have to overcome all the obstacles and work for the weaker sections of the society with a positive bent of mind.  They have to strive hard and work for the people in order to return to the power like they did in the year 2002.”

    She asked her her party workers to celebrate her birthday as Jankalyankari Diwas. The BSP chief also demanded the central government agree to the demands of the farmers protesting against the three contentious laws.

    The BSP chief also welcomed the vaccination drive starting January 16. “If the central and state government doesn’t give free vaccination, then the BSP will ensure free vaccination when it comes to power,” she said.