Mayawati labels ASP chief Azad an ‘opportunist’

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has launched a sharp counterattack on Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad over his remarks on Akash Anand, calling parties like his “opportunistic outfits” that surface during elections but fail to bring meaningful change to society.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mayawati asserted that the BSP is the only true Ambedkarite party committed to the welfare of the Bahujan community. She said the party has a long-standing tradition of taking disciplinary action when necessary and also reinstating individuals when they express remorse. Referring to the reinstatement of her nephew Akash Anand as National Coordinator, she said: “Some discomfort among people over Akash Anand’s ups and downs is natural, but the party expects that he will now take forward the mission of Dr BR Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram with full dedication and sincerity.”

Mayawati added that the BSP has no room for “opportunists and self-seekers,” and that only those committed to the cause will stay in the party.