In a sharp escalation of the rivalry within Uttar Pradesh’s Dalit political arena, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati has made explosive claims regarding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manipulated Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to ensure the victory of Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) leader Chandra Shekhar Aazad.
Addressing political developments on Monday, Mayawati claimed the maneuver was executed deliberately to fracture the BSP’s core voter base, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Direct Attack on Nagina Lok Sabha Outcome
In the 2024 general elections, Chandra Shekhar Aazad won the reserved parliamentary seat of Nagina in western Uttar Pradesh by a substantial margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. The seat was previously held by the BSP.
Mayawati asserted that the outcome was not an organic democratic choice. She claimed that the BJP orchestrated Aazad’s parliamentary entry by meddling with voting hardware.
She argued that rival parties routinely prop up alternate leadership figures to divide the Bahujan electorate. As reported by Jansatta, this marks one of the rare instances where Mayawati has directly named the Bhim Army founder in a formal public critique.
Renewed Call to Scrap EVMs and Return to Paper Ballots
Connecting the Nagina result to broader electoral integrity concerns, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister reiterated her long-standing demand to discard electronic voting machines entirely.
Mayawati stated that growing public skepticism surrounding EVM transparency weakens democratic institutions. She urged the Election Commission of India and the central government to revert to physical ballot papers in all future elections.
According to coverage by ThePrint, the BSP chief emphasized that only paper ballots can restore unconditional faith among grassroots voters across the country.
Chandra Shekhar Aazad Hits Back
The allegations drew a swift and fiery rebuttal from the Nagina Member of Parliament. Chandra Shekhar Aazad dismissed the accusations as baseless and disrespectful to the democratic process.
Aazad responded by pointing out that calling the mandate of Nagina a conspiracy diminishes the hard work of grassroots activists. He maintained that voters across communities rejected traditional formulas to support a representative fighting on ground issues.
He added that true leadership earns trust through consistent public struggle rather than shifting blame for electoral declines, as noted by Aaj Tak.
Brewing Battle for Uttar Pradesh’s Dalit Electorate
The public exchange highlights growing tensions between the BSP and the Aazad Samaj Party as regional political alignments continue to evolve.
With assembly contests approaching, both outfits are fiercely competing for political dominance among young Dalit voters in western Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati’s open offensive signals the BSP’s intent to vigorously defend its political territory against emerging challengers in the state.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
