UP Polls: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad to contest against Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur

Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad will contest the assembly elections from Gorakhpur against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath.

"Taking forward the ideology "Bahujan Hitay-Bahujan Sukhay" of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar ji and Matyavar Kanshi Ram Saheb, Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) declares Chandra Shekhar Aazad as its candidate from Gorakhpur (Urban) constituency," said Azad Samaj Party in a statement.

BJP has fielded Yogi Adityanath from his stronghold Gorakhpur which elected him to Lok Sabha for five straight terms till 2017.

Earlier, ruling out an alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar 'Azad' criticised Akhilesh Yadav for eyeing 'Dalit vote bank', alleging that the former chief minister does not want Dalits in his party.

Notably, Akhilesh Yadav has stitched an alliance with several smaller parties to bolster the chances of SP returning to power in the upcoming state elections.

Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7.