Mayawati calls herself Kanshi Ram’s ‘sole successor’ as parties try to claim his legacy

Referring to the BSP’s legacy, she said, “The party that was founded by Kanshi Ram cannot be shaken as long as its sole successor and national president is alive.” She also asserted that any attempt to weaken the party would fail under her leadership.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav over their demand for Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram, Mayawati said those invoking his legacy should first understand his ideology. She also urged people to read Kanshi Ram’s book “Chamcha Yug,” which critiques individuals aligned with dominant political interests.

Slamming SP and Congress for their “double standards”, Mayawati alleged a “well-planned conspiracy” to politically appropriate Kanshi Ram’s legacy while historically working to undermine the BSP.

The 92nd birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram was celebrated across party lines on March 15. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking Bharat Ratna for the BSP founder.

Over the last few days, as Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary approached, several parties — from the Congress to the SP to Dalit leader and Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) Chandrashekhar Azad, and the BSP itself — sought to invoke the legacy of the leader, who is seen to have reshaped Dalit politics in North India.

With elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab next year, where Kanshi Ram’s followers form a sizeable chunk of the electorate, Congress leaders say Gandhi’s efforts to invoke Kanshi Ram’s legacy is part of a broader attempt by the party to reconnect with the Dalit support base it once commanded before the rise of the BSP.