The Samajwadi Party (SP) plans to spotlight alleged irregularities in land purchases, corruption, fertilizer shortages, law and order, the Constitution, and unemployment in its campaign for the upcoming by-elections.
SP President Akhilesh Yadav, during a meeting with supporters in Ghaziabad aimed to convey a political message to party workers and voters across Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav has officially launched his by-election campaign from Ghaziabad and will soon extend his efforts to other seats. SP considers these by-elections a “semifinal” for the next state assembly elections. Party leaders believe that a victory here would send a strong message that defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is achievable for SP. With this goal in mind, SP’s focus is on preventing a religious-based polarization of votes and instead, driving caste-based unity through its ‘PDA’ (Progressive Democratic Alliance) slogan.
A senior SP leader explained, “The PDA strategy is our answer to the BJP’s attempts at religious polarization.” Yadav used the Ghaziabad rally to boost morale, emphasising that the public is ready to remove the BJP from power.
He encouraged SP workers to remain active at the grassroots level, asserting that a dedicated effort could lead to an SP victory in Uttar Pradesh.
The SP is also capitalizing on complaints regarding alleged malpractices in urban land deals. Yadav called for the public release of land purchase records in key areas like Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Ayodhya, a move regarded as a strategic “masterstroke” by party insiders.
On constitutional issues, Yadav addressed recent Supreme Court rulings related to madrasa education, criticizing several BJP government decisions as unconstitutional. He stated, “All unconstitutional decisions by the BJP government must be reversed.” He further noted that both the High Court and Supreme Court have repeatedly admonished the BJP government on such issues.
As the by-elections approach, SP is poised to leverage these issues to challenge the BJP’s policies and reinforce its image as a viable alternative for voters seeking change in Uttar Pradesh.
