Lok Sabha Results 2024: Chandra Shekhar Azad, the emerging young leader in Dalit politics and head of the Bhim Army group, is aiming to replace the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as the primary representative of the Scheduled Castes in Uttar Pradesh. At present, he leads by a margin of 55,445 votes in the Lok Sabha elections, contesting from Nagina under the banner of his political party, the Azad Samaj Party (ASP), which has a kettle as its symbol.


In the Nagina constituency, a fascinating political narrative unfolds as Om Kumar, the BJP candidate, finds himself trailing behind contenders from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).


Azad is the sole candidate from his party in this election. In the 2022 UP Assembly polls, he ran against Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur, securing only 4,501 votes and losing his deposit.


37-year-old Azad, who is not only a candidate but also an Ambedkarite and a prominent anti-caste activist. His decision to stand independently, refusing any alliance with the INDI alliance, marks a significant departure in the political landscape. Hi party, ASP, a relatively young political entity, has captured attention with his fervent advocacy for social transformation and his rallying cry for the "rule of the poor."


The BSP's Girish Chandra clinched victory in Nagina during the 2019 polls, securing the support of over 3.5 lakh Dalit voters in this reserved constituency. However, Azad's emergence as a formidable challenger has put not only the BSP but also the SP-Congress alliance and the BJP on edge, fearing erosion of their support base.


The dynamics of this electoral battle are further complicated by generational divides and shifting loyalties. While Azad enjoys popularity among the youth, the older generation still associates the face of Dalit empowerment with Mayawati, the BSP supremo. Yet, signs of disillusionment with Mayawati among the electorate of Nagina suggest a potential realignment of allegiances.


Against the backdrop of these intricate political dynamics, all eyes are on Azad as a beacon of hope for change. Since its creation through delimitation in 2009, Nagina has rotated between the SP, BSP, and BJP, each getting its turn to represent the constituency. Now, as the ASP stakes its claim with the symbol of a teapot, Azad's candidacy symbolizes a growing appetite for alternative voices and a departure from traditional political paradigms.