Lucknow, Oct 16 (PTI) With an eye on the Dalit vote bank before next year"s assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party set up "Samajwadi Baba Saheb Ambedkar Vahini" and appointed Mithai Lal Bharti, a former BSP leader, as its president on Saturday. Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said in a statement here that SP national president Akhilesh Yadav announced the formation of "Samajwadi Baba Saheb Ambedkar Vahini". The party president nominated Bharti as the national president of the vahini and expects him to form its national executive soon and submit details for approval, the statement said. Yadav had announced the formation of Baba Saheb Vahini on April 14, the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, but action was not taken then. Bharti was earlier associated with the Bahujan Samaj Party and he held many important positions, including that of zonal coordinator of Purvanchal. He had also been incharge of some states, the statement said. About two years ago, he joined the Samajwadi Party, expressing faith in the policies of the party and Yadav"s leadership. PTI SAB AAR