Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) ( ASP(KR)) is an Indian registered, unrecognized political party in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was founded by Chandrashekhar Azad.
History
Precursor The Azad Samaj Party's origins lie in the Bhim Army founded by Chandra Shekhar Aazad in 2015 to protect constitutional rights and oppose caste oppression. The group formed after reports of discrimination and caste-based violence faced by Dalit students at AHP Inter-college in Uttar Pradesh, and the Bhim Army then helped protect the Dalit students.
Azad gained attention after publicly posting a sign which read "The Great Chamar of Dhadkauli Welcome You." Upper-caste Rajputs were upset with the Dalit celebration of identity and objected to the erection of the board. But, the Bhim Army intervened and ensure that the Thakurs did not unleash any violence. In another incident, the Rajputs prevented a Dalit groom from riding a horse to his wedding. Yet again, the Bhim Army intervened and escorted the groom.
The Bhim Army attained national prominence after clashes in Uttar Pradesh. In June 2017, the group's leader Chandrashekhar, a lawyer, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force. Chandrashekhar was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in November 2017, but the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath continued to detain him under the National Security Act until it dropped the NSA order in September 2018 and acquitted Chandrashekhar from jail.Omar Rashid, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad released from jail, says he will ensure BJP's rout in 2019, The Hindu (14 September 2018). Chandrashekhar describes himself as a representative of Bahujan identity and a follower of Kanshi Ram.
The group protests against discrimination and caste violence against Dalit by members of the upper Thakurs caste in violent clashes in 2017 in Saharanpur. Bhim Army rally in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi in 2017 was attended by a large crowd, estimated to be 10,000 by Delhi Police.
In August 2019, the Bhim Army took part in nationwide Dalit protests against the demolition of Shri Guru Ravidas Gurughar, a temple dedicated to Sant Ravidas in Tughlaqabad, Delhi, on the orders of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), following lengthy litigation between the DDA and Guru Ravidas Jainti Samaroh Samiti. Dozens of people, including Chandrashekhar and Vinay Ratan, were arrested by police, prompting the Bhim Army to demand their release.Bhim Army warns of movement if its top leaders are not freed, Indo-Asian News Service (25 August 2019).
In March 2020, Chandrashekhar announced that the Bhim Army would formally enter electoral politics. The group previously operated as a quasi-political force. Chandrashekhar stated that "We tried to join hands and work unitedly with the Bahujan Samaj Party but its leader was unwilling to do so." Chandrashekhar said the new political party would set up an office in Lucknow and work to counter the ruling BJP. Chandrashekhar has described the BJP as his chief political adversary, but has also competed with Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The Bhim Army opposes the BJP's Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) legislation In January and February 2020, the Bhim Army engaged in the protests against the CAA and sought its repeal.Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad vows to fight until CAA is repealed, Deccan Herald (2 February 2020).Anti-CAA protests: Court asks police to verify if Bhim Army Chief has an office in Delhi, Press Trust of India (18 January 2020). In February 2020, street clashes took place between pro-CAA BJP supporters and Bhim Army supporters in connection with the North East Delhi riots; both sides engaged in stone-pelting.Neeraj Chauhan, Delhi riots: Face-off between Bhim Army, CAA backers a trigger, Hindustan Times (28 February 2020).
Current political organization
On 15 March 2020, Chandrashekhar officially announced his new political party named Azad Samaj Party. As many as 78 former leaders of the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Indian National Congress joined the newly launched party.Bhim Army President announces new political party 'Azad Samaj Party', Zee News (15 March 2020). Chandra Shekhar Aazad officially announced the formation of his new political party, named Azad Samaj Party, on 15 March 2020. A total of 98 former leaders from the Samajwadi Party, Bhartiya Janta Party, Indian National Congress, and Rashtriya Lok Dal joined the newly launched party.
On 27 October, the Azad Samaj Party formed an alliance with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party for the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections.
The party's leader Chandrashekar Azad is the party's first Member of Parliament and is elected from nagina lok sabha constituency.
List of party leaders
Presidents +No.PortraitNameTerm in officeAssumed officeLeft officeTime in officeNational President of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)1Chandra Shekhar Azad ( 1986)14 March 2020IncumbentNational General Secretary of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)2Ravinder Bhati Gurjar16 June 2023IncumbentNational Treasurer of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)3Virendra Kumar Shirish16 June 2023IncumbentNational President of the Bhim Army & Youth wing Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)3Vinay Ratan Singh 21 July 2015Incumbent
State Leadership The Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) has state units in Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand West Bengal and other states. + StateState President General SecretaryVice PresidentBihar Jauhar AzadSanjay Kumar RajakDelhiBalak Ram Bauddh HaryanaRame PradhanJharkhandKashif RazaAsif SiddiquiMadhya PradeshEr. Satyendra VidrohiAdv. Ray Singh BaudhRampreet KansanaKeshav Singh YadavMaharashtraAnand LondheZubair MemonRajasthanAnil Kumar DhenwalSunil Bhartiya Deepak Saini Surendra Singh BhartiyaUttar PradeshSunil Kumar Chittod (Ex-MLC)Dr. Mohammad AqibSaurabh KishorUttarakhandLekhraj GautamGujaratKamlesh Dhaval
Electoral performance +Lok sabha election results Year LegislatureParty leaderPre-poll alliance Seats contested Seats won Change in seats Total votes Overall vote % Vote swing Outcome Ref. 2024 18th Lok Sabha Chandrashekhar Azad 26 16,91,8200.1% New
+State assembly election results YearParty leaderPre-poll alliance Seats contested Seats won Change in seats Total votes Overall vote % Vote swing OutcomeBihar2025GDA1896,7960.2%Delhi2025148,7270.1%newJammu and Kashmir202453,0750.1%newJharkhand20241772,8730.4%newHaryana2024JJP+1219,5340.1%newMadhya Pradesh 2023 86 142,4210.3% newMaharashtra20242873,2650.1%newPunjab 20228 3,478 0% newRajasthan 2023RLP+ 47 3,53,437 0.9% newTelangana 2023 4 1,0020% newUttarakhand 2022 13 34,109 0.6% newUttar Pradesh 2022 Chandrashekhar Azad 111 1,19,564 0.1% newBihar202044,5520%new
List of MPs
Members of Parliament, Lok Sabha S.NoElection YearPortraitMPConstituencyLok SabhaMargin1.2024Chandrashekhar AzadNagina18th Lok Sabha1,51,473
Prominent members Chandra Shekhar Azad - Founder and National President of the Azad Samaj Party. MP from Nagina. Vinay Ratan Singh - Co-founder of the Azad Samaj Party and National President of the Bhim Army. Kamal Singh Wallia - Chief National General Secretary of the Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission. Ravinder Bhati Gurjar - National General Secretary of the Azad Samaj Party. Gulzar Siddiqui - National Core Committee member and founding member of the Azad Samaj Party. Sunil Kumar Chittod - State President of the Azad Samaj Party, U.P. and Ex-MLC from Uttar Pradesh. Damodar Singh Yadav - National Core Committee member of the Azad Samaj Party and former MLA candidate from Sewda & Datia Assembly constituency. Himanshu Valmiki - National Core Committee member of the Azad Samaj Party. State President Bhim Army, Delhi. See also List of political parties in India Bahujan Samaj Party Samajwadi Party Fourth Mayawati ministry Kanshi Ram List of Jatav
References
External links