Bhim Army Chief Pitches For Tribal Chief Minister At Madhya Pradesh Rally

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan today addressed a mega rally of Dalit, tribal and OBC outfits in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, where Assembly polls are likely at the end of the year. He announced he would field candidates under the collective banner of Dalit, tribal, OBC and minority community outfits, as an alternative to ruling BJP and opposition Congress candidates in the state.

Chandrashekhar Azad also asked people to ensure the state gets a tribal Chief Minister.

"We no longer believe anyone but will fight our battle collectively in the Madhya Pradesh polls. Be it BJP or the Congress, they don't want to give us our rights. You elected Congress, but it failed to save its government. We'll now rely on our own collective power and strength," he told NDTV.

He read out a list of 31 demands of the collective forum (which also includes OBC Mahasabha and tribal outfit Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti-JAYS). The list of demands included holding a caste census in the country, enacting a law of caste-based reservation in promotion in Madhya Pradesh, withdrawal of cases lodged against weaker sections, raising the compensation to victims of atrocities against SC/ST to Rs 30 lakh and increasing the minimum wages under the MNREGA to Rs 700.

"Incompetent people have been ruling us because we've been shying away from participating in politics. When we have the decisive vote, why should we rely on someone else? It's time we reach from the sadak (roads) to the sadan (legislature) to fight for our rights. We'll no longer allow rani ka beta (queen's son) to become the raja (king), now those who have the decisive vote will be the ones to rule," he said.

"We now have our own united front, which comprises almost 85 per cent of the weaker sections and minority. We'll script a new chapter in Madhya Pradesh politics," he said, adding that the united third front will have a tribal Chief Minister if voted to power in the state.

Taking a dig at the Mayawati-led BSP whose strength in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha declined to two seats in 2018 against four seats of 2013 polls and one of the two present MLAs joined the ruling BJP, the Bhim Army leader said "those who are unable to save their MLAs, how can we expect them to protect the Bahujan samaj."

He also announced plans to take out multiple Nyay Yatras across the state to mobilise public support for the demands and said that finer details about contesting the next assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh will be worked out at a joint meeting of all the partners of this collective platform in near future.

Last year, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar was detained at Bhopal airport as soon as he arrived to participate in a protest rally, organised by OBC Mahasabha, to demand 27 per cent OBC reservation but the Bhim Army has been gaining ground in backward caste population regions, including Gwalior-Chambal, Ujjain division of west Madhya Pradesh and parts of Bundelkhand, while the JAYS is a tribal outfit active in western and southwestern Madhya Pradesh's tribal region and the GGP has been playing in the other tribal dominated Mahakoshal region. The OBC Mahasabha, meanwhile, is working at gaining a foothold in Bundelkhand and Gwalior-Chambal region.