LUCKNOW, April 14 -- Major political parties-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress-have announced a series of programmes to pay tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar on his 135th birth anniversary on Tuesday as Dalit icons remain at the centre stage of Uttar Pradesh politics before the 2027 assembly polls. The UP government plans to launch a campaign focused on social justice, awareness and public outreach on the occasion. The BJP will organise a programme 'Yuva Samvad Sangam,' in all districts as ministers as well as party MPs, MLAs and MLCs will reach out to people and inform them about their constitutional rights and the values of equality. The main event will be held on the Ambedkar Mahasabha premises where CM Yogi Adityanath will pay tribute to Dr Ambedkar. In a major push to its Dalit outreach plan, the state government has decided to install canopies over Ambedkar's statues, construct boundary walls around the statues and organise beautification of the areas where the statues are installed across the state. The state government has also announced the launch of the Dr BR Ambedkar Statue Development Scheme to develop the sites around the statues. The government will develop 10 monuments in each legislative assembly with a cost of Rs.10 lakh per monument. A total expenditure of Rs.403 crore will be spent for the development of the monuments in all 403 assembly constituencies in UP. Uttar Pradesh Cabinet in a meeting held on April 7 approved the state government's proposal to beautify the statue sites and enhance the security of the statues. The Samajwadi Party plans to give a fillip to its PDA formula by organising programmes in all districts to pay tribute to Ambedkar. Its frontal organisation Samajwadi Party Ambedkar Vahini will create awareness among the people about the rights guaranteed under the Constitution and the 'failure' of the BJP government to implement those rights. The SP will organise conventions on social justice in all districts. To show its hold on the Dalit community, BSP chief Mayawati has called upon party workers from across the state to assemble at the Ambedkar Memorial in Lucknow to pay tribute to Dr Ambedkar. Party state unit president Vishwanath Pal will lead the programme at the Ambedkar Memorial, while the BSP chief will pay tribute to the architect of the Constitution at an event at her residence in Mall Avenue. The Congress will also hold programmes in all districts. Party workers will highlight the schemes launched by the Congress government for the welfare and empowerment of the Dalit community. "The party leaders and workers will also caution the people against the BJP government's plan to alter the basic structure of the Constitution and to deny the weaker sections the rights guaranteed in the Constitution," a party leader claimed. The Azad Samaj Party led by Chandrashekhar Azad and Apna Dal (K) leader Pallavi Patel organised various events in the state capital on the eve of Ambedkar's birth anniversary. A political observer SK Srivastava said: "The political parties have mobilised their cadre on the occasion of Dr Ambedkar's birth anniversary. The aim is to win the support of the Dalit community in the upcoming (2027) assembly election. The 21% Dalit vote will be decisive in determining the fate of the candidates in around 170 seats in Uttar Pradesh."...