NL Interview
‘Akash Anand should join Bhim Army’: Chandrashekhar Azad on victory, BSP, alliances
Once barred from the national capital for four weeks over his protest against the CAA-NRC, Chandrashekhar Azad has returned to Delhi as the MP elect from Nagina in Uttar Pradesh. The Bhim Army chief and leader of Azad Samaj Party - Kanshi Ram secured the Lok Sabha seat with a victory margin of more than 1.5 lakh votes. In a conversation with Newslaundry, the first-time MP spoke about his future strategy, Mayawati, alliances, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On his political trajectory, Azad said, “Society keeps changing from time to time. At one time, I was with Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. After him, I was with the Congress under the leadership of Babu Jagjivan Ram. Then Kashiram ji, and then with behanji for a long time… Behanji is our leader and we have always received her blessings.”
The politician also called Mayawati’s niece Akash Anand – who was recently asked to step down from a BSP top post – his “younger brother”. “We will request him to join the Bhim Army If he wants to learn how to fight against injustice.”
When asked about the INDIA alliance, Azad said the opposition bloc had put in “as much effort to defeat us as the BJP did, so who is our well-wisher? They are working to save their party and we are working to keep our society alive”. He said the “fight on the roads will continue. My fight is with the people in power”.
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