Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad forms political outfit 'Azad Bahujan Party', to contest in UP polls

Firebrand SC leader and Bhim Army president Chandrashekhar alias Ravan on Sunday announced the formation of a new political outfit and said that it would strive to emerge as the 'voice' of the poor and downtrodden in the country.

The new party named 'Azad Bahujan Party' was announced at a meeting of Bhim Army workers from across the country at Basai village in Noida.

Some former legislators and leaders of other SC outfits were present at the meeting chaired by Chandrashekhar. The colour of the party flag was also blue like the BSP flag.

The police had denied permission for holding the meeting in the wake of the coronavirus scare and locked the venue. Bhim Army workers, however, broke the lock and held the meeting there, sources said.

Police said that they would take action against the workers.

Chandrashekhar had declared that he would form a political party and has invited former and disgruntled BSP leaders to join him in fighting for the rights of the Dalits, minorities and other oppressed'' communities in the country.

Thirty-seven-year-old Chandrashekhar, who has, of late, emerged as the 'poster boy' of the anti-CAA protests in the country, had a few days back joined hands with some caste-based UP outfits and declared to contest polls with them.

Although Chandrashekhar had earlier offered to work with BSP supremo Mayawati, he decided to go solo and form his own separate political outfit after her rebuff.

Chandrashekhar had shot into limelight after he led protest rallies of the SC community in Saharanpur following the killing of two SC members allegedly by the 'Thakurs' during a procession last year. He had been arrested and the BJP government in the state had slapped the National Security Act (NSA) on him.