2022 UP polls: Chandrashekhar Azad to contest against Adityanath from Gorakhpur

Prominent Dalit activist Chandrashekhar Azad will fight the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from Gorakhpur Sadar seat, where the BJP has fielded UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

“Taking forward the ideology of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshiram sahib for Bahujan Hitaay – Bahujan Sukhaay, the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) announces Chandrashekhar Azad as candidate from Gorakhpur Sadar (322) seat,” the party said in a statement on social media.

ASP (K)’s national core committee member Mohammad Aqib confirmed the development to PTI. He said the registered name of the party is Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram).

Azad, 35-year-old lawyer-turned-activist co-founded the Dalit rights outfit Bhim Army and is its national president. He launched the ASP (K) in March 2020 and is the party president.

आजाद समाज पार्टी काशीराम के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष चन्द्र शेखर आजाद जी गोरखपुर सदर ( 322) से लड़ेंगे विधानसभा चुनाव। @BhimArmyChief pic.twitter.com/cwYWH4C3lm

— Aazad Samaj Party (@AzadSamajParty) January 20, 2022

Gorakhpur Sadar goes to the polls on March 3, during the sixth phase of elections in UP. The results will be declared on March 10.

Azad was until recently in talks with the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party for a tie-up to contest the polls but was offered only two seats by it.

Also read: Hours after declaring alliance, Chandrashekhar Azad says no pact with SP

Feeling thus short-changed, Azad had said on Tuesday that his party would no longer approach the SP for alliance as it was a matter of self-respect, but added that he was open to finding new allies for the polls.

The flamboyant leader has often said his fight is against the ideology of the BJP and the RSS.

(With inputs from Agencies)