New Delhi: The unofficial bugle for the Uttar Pradesh elections has sounded, and political parties, including the ND, are pulling out all the stops. The 2027 Assembly elections will also serve as a litmus test for the ‘double-engine’ government. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (S, P), the main opposition in the UP Assembly, bly is busy devising new political equations to challenge the NDA.
For the SP, which is moving forward with its ‘PDA’ formula, maintaining harmony across various castes will be a challenge. In this context, the pa organised a ‘Brahmin Sammelan’ (Brahmin gathering). The main attraction at the event was a banner displayed behind the stage bearing the slogan, “Brahmin chala Akhilesh” (Brahmins are with Akhilesh). This slogan has sparked fresh discussions in UP’s political circles. However, looking at recent elections, Brahmins have largely supported the BJP en masse.
SP seeks to garner Brahmin support.
Ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party is advancing with its ‘PDA’ slogan. While PDA stands for Pichhda Backwards (Dalit), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (Minority), SP chief Akhilesh Yadav frequently alters its definition. The Brahmin gathering was organised in Kanpur and presided over by Sanatan Pandey, the SP MP from Ballia. During the event, Pandey addressed a large gathering of people from the Brahmin community.
At the Kanpur gathering, the SP emphasised the importance of honouring the community. There has been talk in political circles for some time that Brahmin voters are disgruntled with the BJP—an opportunity the SP is attempting to capitalise on. Only time will tell how many Brahmin votes the SP manages to attract in the upcoming elections.
SP goes on the offensive over Ram Mandir theft case
The issue of the theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has been making headlines recently. When questioned about the matter, SP MP Sanatan Pandey targeted the government and demanded an impartial inquiry. On Monday, the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra were accepted during a meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Kshetra Trust.
The SP and BJP are at loggerheads over the theft of the offerings. As the elections draw closer, all political parties are actively trying to woo various social groups. The ‘Brahmin Sammelan’ (Brahmin convention) organised by the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Kanpur is being viewed as a significant political shift in the party’s strategy.
BJP devising a counter to the ‘PDA’ strategy
The Samajwadi Party had dealt a major blow to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with its ‘PDA’ strategy. Compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP suffered a loss of 29 seats in 2024, with its tally dropping from 62 to 33.
Riding the ‘PDA’ wave, the SP emerged as the largest party in the state, securing 37 seats, an increase of 32 seats compared to 2019. Now, the BJP is also attempting to deflate the momentum of Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘PDA’strategy, prioritising leaders from Backwards Classes and Dalit communities within both the government and the party organisation
