LUCKNOW, March 17 -- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of indulging in a "selfish pursuit of Dalit votes" by celebrating BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary and demanding that he be conferred upon the Bharat Ratna.

In a post on X, the BSP chief said that with the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections approaching, anti-Dalit parties were celebrating Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary as part of a well-planned political strategy.

"The Congress party did not confer upon the Bharat Ratna on Kanshi Ram when it was in power at the Centre. Now it is demanding the honour from another party's government. If this is not ridiculous, what is?" she said.

Mayawati alleged that both par...