LUCKNOW, March 16 -- With the 2027 assembly elections approaching, several political parties have begun invoking the legacy of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday demanding that the Bharat Ratna be conferred on Kanshi Ram posthumously, BSP chief Mayawati on her part urged the Centre not to delay honouring the Dalit icon with the country's highest civilian award. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also called on the central government to confer the Bharat Ratna on Kanshi Ram. Paying tribute to Kanshi Ram on his birth anniversary on Sunday, Mayawati said the Congress had failed to honour the architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar, with the Bharat Ratna for many years. "The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre should not repeat the same mistake and should confer the award on Kanshi Ram without delay," she said. Mayawati said Kanshi Ram's contribution to establishing an egalitarian society in line with the spirit of the Constitution was historic and that he was revered by millions. According to her, Kanshi Ram united the Bahujan community under the banner of the BSP and transformed it into a formidable political force, eventually paving the way for the formation of a BSP government in Uttar Pradesh. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi said that in view of Kanshi Ram's legacy and contribution, the government should confer the Bharat Ratna on him posthumously. Doing so, he said, would honour the aspirations of millions who continue to view him as a symbol of empowerment and hope. Earlier on Friday, speaking at a Samajik Parivartan Diwas programme in Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi had said that if Jawaharlal Nehru had been alive, Kanshi Ram might have been a Congress chief minister. He also said that if the Congress had performed its duties effectively, Kanshi Ram would not have achieved such success in politics. Responding sharply, Mayawati accused the Congress of attempting to appropriate Kanshi Ram's legacy for electoral gains ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. Addressing party workers at a programme held at her residence on Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary, the BSP chief also attacked rival parties, including the SP, Congress and BJP. Terming the SP's PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) formula "deceptive," she alleged that the party remembered Dalits and their icons only during elections. "Once they grab power, they treat these groups with the same disdain as any other rival political party," she added. Calling upon party workers to work towards forming a BSP government in UP 2027, Mayawati said the party's return to power would ensure the uplift of weaker sections and provide secure livelihoods. She said the BSP remained the only authentic political movement dedicated to the welfare and empowerment of the Bahujan Samaj, while accusing rival parties of a mismatch between their rhetoric and actions. Targeting the SP, she said, "Samajwadi Party, much like other caste-based parties, does not truly serve the interests of the Bahujan Samaj. This is not merely an allegation but the historical track record of the SP." She added that the distancing of the Muslim community from the SP and the growing alignment of the Brahmin community with the BSP had further intensified the SP's political and caste-based animosity. Targeting the Aazad Samaj Party (ASP) chief Chandrashekhar Azad, the BSP chief urged party supporters to maintain distance and exercise caution with a party "that seeks to weaken the movement." "One should be vigilant against those who betray the party and the movement for personal gains and self-interest. Due to such individuals, the movement launched by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar remained divided after his death," she added. Recalling the BSP's tenure in power, Mayawati said the party's four-term government in Uttar Pradesh had worked on the principle of Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay (welfare and happiness of all). She said the BSP government had launched several schemes and projects for the development of all sections of society and strengthened the rule of law in the state. She also said the BSP government had established monuments, parks and educational institutions in the name of Kanshi Ram to honour his contribution. According to her, these initiatives were opposed by "casteist elements" and rival parties, which later renamed several of the institutions after coming to power. BSP workers also paid tribute to Kanshi Ram at programmes held at the Kanshi Ram memorial in Lucknow and the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida....