Mumbai, March 16 -- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday demanded that Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram be awarded the Bharat Ratna, describing him as a leader who played a crucial role in mobilising and politically awakening backward and marginalised communities. Speaking to the media during a visit to Mumbai on Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary, Yadav said the BSP founder had dedicated his life to the ideals of social justice and had followed the path shown by Dr BR Ambedkar. "We remember Kanshi Ram for the role he played in awakening people, particularly those from backward classes. He walked on the path shown by Babasaheb Ambedkar and spent his life working for the empowerment of the oppressed. We have worked with him and we believe he deserves the Bharat Ratna," Yadav said. Yadav said the Bharatiya Janata Party would face defeat in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections and expressed confidence that chief minister Mamata Banerjee would return to power. He also reiterated that his party's alliance with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh would continue. "Congress is our long-standing alliance partner and this partnership will continue," he said. Yadav further urged the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections, alleging that the poll body should not function under the influence of the central government. Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, he alleged that the BJP, the administration and the election machinery appeared to be acting together. He claimed that in one instance, a party worker found that signatures taken by BJP members were allegedly used to submit Form 7 applications for deleting a voter's name. Yadav also criticised the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly halting plans for a museum dedicated to Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and for not allocating funds for the project. He said a 101-acre park dedicated to Shivaji Maharaj would instead be developed in Etawah. "We share a historic connection with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and will build a large park in his honour," he said....