LUCKNOW, March 11 -- With Dalits constituting about 20% of the voters in Uttar Pradesh, almost all major parties are vying to associate themselves with Kanshi Ram's political legacy in the run-up to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly election. The Dalit ideologue and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder mobilised the marginalised and reshaped the state's social justice politics. Across districts, posters bearing Kanshi Ram's image have appeared beside the flags of rival parties, each claiming to be the true inheritor of his vision and dream of Bahujan empowerment, ahead of his birth anniversary on March 15. In the latest such outreach, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is scheduled to visit Lucknow on March 13 to attend the 'Samajik Parivartan Diwas' event. Party leaders said the event, which the Rae Bareli MP will address, is expected to signal the start of the Congress's campaign pitch for the 2027 assembly polls. For its part, the BSP keeps reminding voters that Kanshi Ram built the party as a vehicle for social justice. Mayawati has given a call for the "Lucknow Chalo Abhiyaan" for March 15. On Kanshi Ram's death anniversary on October 9, 2025, the BSP gave the call 'Maanyavar Shri Kanshi Ram ji, Aapkaa Mission Adhuraa, BSP Karegi Puraa', reiterating the party's claim to his legacy. On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party will celebrate Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary on March 15 as 'PDA Diwas' or 'Bahujan Samaj Diwas' across districts. Ram Babu Sudarshan, general secretary of SP Ambedkar Vahini, said, "SP Baba Saheb Ambedkar Vahini will make the PDA community aware of Kanshi Ramji's struggle, his mission and the fight for social justice through public meetings, seminars and programmes on his birth anniversary." The statistical reasons are clear why Kanshi Ram's name echoes through speeches and strategy rooms alike. Dalits form about 20% of the voters in Uttar Pradesh, numbering over three crore out of the total of more than 12 crore voters (based on the 2024 Lok Sabha figures). This gives them a say in 140-150 assembly seats out of the 403 in the state, particularly in Purvanchal and Bundelkhand. "The party's top leadership, including Anil Jaihind, chairman of the All India OBC department, and RP Gautam, chairman of the SC department of the All India Congress Committee along with state leaders, will share the dais and address the gathering. People from OBC, Dalit, backward and minority communities will attend," said Manoj Yadav, chairman of the UP Congress OBC wing. "This event will sound the poll bugle for 2027 and kick-start the Kanshi Ram Jayanti programme to be held in 75 districts," said Yadav, who is coordinating the event. Out of 403 assembly seats in UP, over 80 are reserved; the majority are for Dalits and the remainder are for tribals. Before 2017, Dalits mostly supported the BSP. As votes split among the BSP, BJP, and SP in 2022, many non-Jatav Dalits leaned towards the BJP alliance, helping the party retain power. However, in 2024, some Dalits shifted towards the SP-led alliance due to slogans like PDA (Backward, Dalit, Minority) and concerns about the "Constitution in danger," which became a game changer in the second phase of the election....