The Logical Indian Crew

Big Battle For Gorakhpur: Can Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekar Win BJP's 33-Yr-Old Seat?

It is to be noted that the Gorakhpur win is going to be challenging as well as crucial for the Bhim Army Chief, given that it has been Yogi Adityanath's home for years, and BJP's constituency for 33 years, since 1989, except once, when Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha won.

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Bhim Army Chief and a prominent Dalit voice Chandrashekhar Azad has become the first candidate to contest against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the Gorakhpur seat. The Dalit leader had confirmed earlier that he would be competing against Yogi in the January-February elections.

Reportedly, CM Yogi is running for the MLA post for the first time.

Chief's Interest In Elections

This is Azad's first election. However, the 34-year-old had conveyed his interest in contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, announcing that he would contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi. Later, he withdrew his proposal, as he had not formed any party at the time. Instead, he came out to support former UP CM Mayawati's party and the Congress, NDTV reported.

Azad & His 'Love' For BJP

The 34-year-old Dalit leader has been a staunch opponent of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Last year, he had said he would contest go for the seat for which Yogi will be contesting. According to The Wire report, Azad had assured of fielding Dalits, backward classes, and Muslim candidates wherever it could, provided his Azad Samaj Party contests with the election on its own.

"It is not important for me to win a place in the UP assembly, and it is important for me that Yogi Adityanath should not get to be in the assembly. So I will contest wherever he is contesting," the media had quoted him as saying.

Gorakhpur: Tough Battle For Dalit Leader

It is to be noted that the Gorakhpur win is going to be challenging as well as crucial for the Bhim Army Chief, given that it has been Yogi Adityanath's home for years, and BJP's constituency for 33 years, since 1989, except once, when Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha won. But in 2017, BJP's Radha Mohan Das Agarwal won the seat back.

For years, the constituency had been BJP's stronghold, especially since the Ram temple movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Compared to BJP's history, Azad has no back in Gorakpur or eastern Uttar Pradesh. As of now, BJP sitting MLA Radha Mohan Das Agarwal represents the constituency.

Chandrashekhar Azad- Voice Of The Vulnerable

Azad, also known as 'Raavan', has often been called the voice of Dalits and other marginalised sections of society and has run several campaigns highlighting the image of Dalits in India. His Army runs a school that had students belonging to the Dalit community.

The 34-year-old came into the limelight as a Dalit leader after a board titled 'The Great Chamars of Ghadkhauli Welcome You' was installed by him on the outskirts of his village.

The chief also made it to TIME magazine's annual list of '100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future.'

The Incident That Drew Attention Towards Bhim Army

During the same time, when Azad and the Bhim Army came to the limelight, during the Saharanpur Violence, a clash between Dalits and Thakur Rajput communities in May.

On 5 May 2017, a group of Rajputs entered into Dalit colony, where people were celebrating and honouring Maharana Pratap. The local administration had prohibited the community from entering the colony.

Later the occasion soon turned into violence, which escalated and claimed the life of an upper-caste man, and left several injured. Besides, 25 Dalit houses were set ablaze. Security forces were later deployed to subside the situation.

Azad was the main accused of the 2017 violence and was arrested after the clashes from Himachal Pradesh. Though the Allahabad High Court granted him bail, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested him under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). He served one year and four months in jail and was released in September 2018.

Also Read: No Dam! Farmers Protest Against Mekedatu Reservoir Project, Slam Karnataka Cong For 'Padyatra'

Contributors Suggest Correction
Writer : Devyani Madaik
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Editor : Palak Agrawal
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Creatives : Devyani Madaik

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