LUCKNOW, March 1 -- The intensifying war of words between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) over the legacy of Kanshi Ram (1934-2006) underscores a broader political recalibration as parties position themselves to consolidate Dalit and Other Backward Classes (OBC) votes ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The SP has announced that it will celebrate BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary on March 15 as 'PDA Diwas' across the state, indicating that the party wants to expand its Dalit outreach. On Saturday, BSP's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Vishwanath Pal escalated the attack on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing him of indulging in "political theatrics" in the name of the BSP founder. The remarks followed similar allegations by BSP president Mayawati. The coordinated offensive by the BSP leadership is being viewed as an effort to reinforce its traditional Dalit support base while preventing any symbolic inroads by rival parties. Kanshi Ram, as the architect of the Bahujan movement in north India, remains central to the BSP's ideological and electoral identity. Pal questioned the SP's claim of respect for the Bahujan icon, citing past decisions taken during the SP government, including renaming Kanshi Ram Nagar district and cancelling a public holiday on his birth anniversary. He also accused the SP of disrespecting social reformers and OBC icons through district renaming, framing the issue as one of social justice and community pride. Political observers note that both the BSP and the SP are recalibrating their caste coalitions amid shifting electoral arithmetic in Uttar Pradesh. While the BSP seeks to consolidate its core Dalit vote bank and reassert ideological ownership over the Bahujan narrative, the SP has in recent years expanded outreach efforts among non-Yadav OBCs and sections of Dalits to broaden its social base. With the 2027 UP assembly polls a year away, the renewed contest over Kanshi Ram's legacy signals an early phase of narrative-building aimed at mobilising historically marginalised communities. The SP has yet to formally respond to the latest allegations, but the exchange reflects intensifying competition for Dalit and backward caste support in India's most politically consequential state....