ASP targets 2027 Panchayat polls, plans statewide expansion
Daltonganj
The Azad Samaj Party (ASP) has announced an aggressive organisational drive in Jharkhand, setting its sights on the 2027 panchayat elections as part of its strategy to strengthen its grassroots presence across the state.
Addressing reporters in Daltonganj on Friday, Jharkhand ASP president Kashif Raza said the party had already begun expanding its organisation and aimed to enrol 10,000 members in each of the state’s 24 districts. He said the party intended to contest every panchayat seat in Jharkhand, which has over 4,000 panchayats, to establish a strong political base ahead of future elections.
Referring to the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections, where the ASP contested 12 seats and secured nearly 80,000 votes, Raza acknowledged that the party’s vote share stood at 0.87 per cent but maintained that the result was encouraging for a growing political outfit. He said the party expected to make a significant political impact through the panchayat polls by strengthening its organisation at the village level.
Raza ruled out any alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), alleging that it had lost its independent political identity. He claimed the ASP would occupy the political space left by the BSP while continuing to build its support base independently.
The party also criticised the Hemant Soren-led government, alleging failures in maintaining law and order, checking land grabbing and addressing public grievances. ASP leaders Mumtaz Ahmad Khan and Ajay Singh Chero raised concerns over delays in investigations under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, pending scholarships for SC/ST students and alleged encroachment of Khas Mahal land in Daltonganj. Despite its limited electoral presence, political observers believe the ASP’s grassroots push could enhance its relevance in Jharkhand politics.
The Azad Samaj Party (ASP) has announced an aggressive organisational drive in Jharkhand, setting its sights on the 2027 panchayat elections as part of its strategy to strengthen its grassroots presence across the state.
Addressing reporters in Daltonganj on Friday, Jharkhand ASP president Kashif Raza said the party had already begun expanding its organisation and aimed to enrol 10,000 members in each of the state’s 24 districts. He said the party intended to contest every panchayat seat in Jharkhand, which has over 4,000 panchayats, to establish a strong political base ahead of future elections.
Referring to the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections, where the ASP contested 12 seats and secured nearly 80,000 votes, Raza acknowledged that the party’s vote share stood at 0.87 per cent but maintained that the result was encouraging for a growing political outfit. He said the party expected to make a significant political impact through the panchayat polls by strengthening its organisation at the village level.
Raza ruled out any alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), alleging that it had lost its independent political identity. He claimed the ASP would occupy the political space left by the BSP while continuing to build its support base independently.
The party also criticised the Hemant Soren-led government, alleging failures in maintaining law and order, checking land grabbing and addressing public grievances. ASP leaders Mumtaz Ahmad Khan and Ajay Singh Chero raised concerns over delays in investigations under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, pending scholarships for SC/ST students and alleged encroachment of Khas Mahal land in Daltonganj. Despite its limited electoral presence, political observers believe the ASP’s grassroots push could enhance its relevance in Jharkhand politics.
