<p>Lucknow: Following Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), the ruling BJP has also decided to woo the Dalit voters and make a dent into the BSP vote bank ahead of the next assembly polls in the state due in 2027.</p><p>As part of the strategy, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh would be installing roofs on the statues of Dalit icon and former Union minister Dr B. R. Ambedkar across the state.</p><p>Besides, the state government would undertake beautification of statues of Dalit leaders including Sant Ravidas and Maharshi Valmiki.</p><p>Making these announcements at an event in his home town of Gorakhpur on Monday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that a sanitation drive around the Ambedkar statues in the state would be launched on April 14, the birth anniversary of Ambedkar.</p>.Uttar Pradesh farmer claims identity misuse after receiving Rs 14.66 crore tax notices.<p>‘’Boundary walls will be constructed around the parks, where Ambedkar statues are installed and floral tribute will be paid to the Dalit leader on his birth anniversary,’’ Adityanath said.</p><p>The chief minister, who heaped praises on Ambedkar, appealed to the BJP workers to take part in large numbers in the cleanliness drive around the statues.</p><p>Adityanath’s announcements came close on the heels of events organised by the Congress and the SP to honour Dalit leader and BSP founder Kanshiram on the occasion of the latter's birth anniversary last month.</p><p>Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who recently addressed a party event here, heaped praises on Kanshiram and even demanded that he be conferred with ‘Bharat Ratna’.</p><p>SP president Akhilesh Yadav also invoked Kanshiram as part of his PDA (pichda, dalit, alpsankhyak) outreach highlighting warm and friendly relations between SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kanshiram. The party also celebrated Kanshiram’s birth anniversary on March 15 by holding meetings with the Dalit community at all district headquarters.</p><p>BSP supremo Mayawati, however, termed the efforts as ‘opportunistic politics’ ahead of the assembly polls.</p><p>BSP has been struggling to stay politically relevant in the state after losing power in 2012 assembly polls. Its strength in the state assembly has been declining ever since. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP failed to open its account in UP while in the 2022 assembly polls it could win only one seat.</p>
<p>Lucknow: Following Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), the ruling BJP has also decided to woo the Dalit voters and make a dent into the BSP vote bank ahead of the next assembly polls in the state due in 2027.</p><p>As part of the strategy, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh would be installing roofs on the statues of Dalit icon and former Union minister Dr B. R. Ambedkar across the state.</p><p>Besides, the state government would undertake beautification of statues of Dalit leaders including Sant Ravidas and Maharshi Valmiki.</p><p>Making these announcements at an event in his home town of Gorakhpur on Monday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that a sanitation drive around the Ambedkar statues in the state would be launched on April 14, the birth anniversary of Ambedkar.</p>.Uttar Pradesh farmer claims identity misuse after receiving Rs 14.66 crore tax notices.<p>‘’Boundary walls will be constructed around the parks, where Ambedkar statues are installed and floral tribute will be paid to the Dalit leader on his birth anniversary,’’ Adityanath said.</p><p>The chief minister, who heaped praises on Ambedkar, appealed to the BJP workers to take part in large numbers in the cleanliness drive around the statues.</p><p>Adityanath’s announcements came close on the heels of events organised by the Congress and the SP to honour Dalit leader and BSP founder Kanshiram on the occasion of the latter's birth anniversary last month.</p><p>Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who recently addressed a party event here, heaped praises on Kanshiram and even demanded that he be conferred with ‘Bharat Ratna’.</p><p>SP president Akhilesh Yadav also invoked Kanshiram as part of his PDA (pichda, dalit, alpsankhyak) outreach highlighting warm and friendly relations between SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kanshiram. The party also celebrated Kanshiram’s birth anniversary on March 15 by holding meetings with the Dalit community at all district headquarters.</p><p>BSP supremo Mayawati, however, termed the efforts as ‘opportunistic politics’ ahead of the assembly polls.</p><p>BSP has been struggling to stay politically relevant in the state after losing power in 2012 assembly polls. Its strength in the state assembly has been declining ever since. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP failed to open its account in UP while in the 2022 assembly polls it could win only one seat.</p>