The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): The 18th Lok Sabha mandate has provided numerous reasons to celebrate, particularly with the notable achievements of Dalit leaders who have secured their places in Parliament. This election has seen a significant representation of disadvantaged castes, offering a sigh of relief amid a lower overall number of women MPs.
Awadhesh Prasad:
The Samajwadi Party’s Dalit leader Awadhesh Prasad achieved a remarkable victory by defeating the two-term BJP MP Lallu Singh in Ayodhya. This win is significant as it challenges the BJP’s stronghold in the epicenter of their Hindutva politics. Prasad’s presence in the Lok Sabha will serve as a constant reminder to the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of their defeat in Ayodhya.
Sanjana Jatav:
At just 25 years old, Sanjana Jatav is one of the youngest Dalit MPs in India. After narrowly losing the 2023 assembly election by only 400 votes, she demonstrated resilience by winning the Bharatpur Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan by over 52,000 votes.
Thol. Thirumavalavan:
A distinguished Ambedkarite scholar and activist, Thol. Thirumavalavan represents the Chidambaram constituency in Tamil Nadu. His work is deeply rooted in Ambedkarite and Dravidian ideologies, aiming to eradicate the caste system.
Balwant Wankhede:
Starting his political journey with the Republican Party of India (RPI), Balwant Wankhede, an Ambedkarite Buddhist, secured a significant victory over BJP’s Navneet Rana in Maharashtra’s Amravati constituency. Rana’s defeat marked a notable shift in the Vidarbha political landscape.
Varsha Gaikwad:
A prominent figure in the Maharashtra Congress, Varsha Gaikwad has been elected as one of the seven women MPs from the state. She has been a four-term MLA from Mumbai’s Dharavi seat and will now represent the Mumbai North-Central General constituency in the Lok Sabha.
Kadiyam Kavya:
Congress nominee Kadiyam Kavya achieved a resounding victory in the Warangal constituency, defeating BJP’s Aroori Ramesh and BRS’s M. Sudheer Kumar by a huge margin of 2.20 lakh votes.
Charanjit Singh Channi:
Punjab’s first Dalit Sikh chief minister, Charanjit Singh Channi, has served as an MLA for three terms from Punjab’s Chamkaur Sahib. He now continues his political journey in the Lok Sabha.
Chandrashekhar Azad:
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad won the Nagina Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh as an Independent candidate. His victory, with 51.19 percent of the votes, is significant as he did not join the INDIA bloc and contested under his own party’s banner.
Kumari Selja:
Congress leader Kumari Selja secured a win from the Sirsa Lok Sabha seat in Haryana. A prominent Dalit face in the Congress party, she has served as the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment and Minister of Tourism in the Manmohan Singh government.
K. Radhakrishnan:
K. Radhakrishnan of the CPI(M) won from Kerala’s Alathur Lok Sabha seat. He has served as the minister for welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes and Devaswoms in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government.