'BSP has lost its identity, Azad Samaj Party alternative in UP'

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, 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 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, "I am not scared of criticism and allegations.

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, but added that his differences with it were ideological, 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 (state 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.

Azad alleged that the BSP was ignoring its founder the late Kanshi Ram's ideals and was working against those principles.