Yogi Adityanath Revives ‘Sant Ravidas Nagar’ Name, Fuels Dalit Politics Ahead of UP Polls
The move restores Bhadohi's former name and is being seen as a key political outreach before the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
New Delhi: In a politically significant move ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that Bhadohi district will once again be known as ‘Sant Ravidas Nagar’, restoring the name originally given during the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government.
The announcement was made during a programme dedicated to Sant Ravidas in Varanasi. The district had been renamed Bhadohi after the Samajwadi Party (SP) came to power in 2012, a decision that had drawn criticism from Dalit groups and the BSP.
Calling the earlier change a "mistake," Yogi accused the previous SP government of disrespecting Dalit icons by removing the names of districts and institutions dedicated to them. He also highlighted that his government had restored the name of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College in Kannauj after it was changed during the SP regime.
The move is widely seen as a strategic attempt by the BJP to strengthen its appeal among the Ravidassia community, a significant Dalit voter base spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
Sant Ravidas, the 15th-century saint and social reformer, is revered for his teachings against caste discrimination and untouchability. His followers have traditionally supported the Congress and later the BSP, but the BJP has increasingly sought to expand its influence within the community.
Political observers believe the restoration of the district's name could sharpen Dalit-centric political narratives in Uttar Pradesh, with the BJP expected to leverage the issue in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly elections.
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