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Amassive new political poster displayed outside the Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters in Lucknow depicting party president Akhilesh Yadav aboard a boat has escalated the ongoing "poster war" between the SP and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The high-visibility poster directly targets Uttar Pradesh's electoral arithmetic ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections, emphasising an expanded coalition of upper-caste Brahmins, riverine communities (Kevats/Nishads), and the party's core PDA (PichhdeBackward, Dalit, AlpsankhyakMinorities) base. The poster prominently reads," , , ".(Brahmins will show the way, Kevats (boatmen) will ferry us across, and together we will form a 'PDA' government.) The imagery carries cultural and mythological undertones from Hindu mythology, the Ramayana, referencing the Ramayana episode where Kevat, the boatman, safely ferries Lord Rama and Lakshmana across the Ganga. By showing Akhilesh Yadav on a boat flanked by symbolic Brahmin guides and Kevat boatmen, the Samajwadi Party appears to be making a calculated outreach on two fronts. First, it is eyeing the Brahmin vote, broadening the 'P' in its PDA formula to mean "Pandit" or "Peedit Pandit" (aggrieved Brahmins), in a bid to tap into alleged discontent within the upper-caste community against the current dispensation. Second, the party is reaching out to the Nishad and Kevat communities the non-Yadav OBC riverine voters, including Kevats, Mallahs and Nishads who hold decisive influence in several constituencies along the Ganga belt. The strategic outreach is seen as an attempt to make inroads into key demographics that have predominantly backed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in past elections across the state. Buoyed by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the SP emerged as the single-largest party in Uttar Pradesh by securing 37 seats, the party has been steadily stepping up its grassroots messaging to consolidate an expanded social umbrella ahead of the upcoming assembly by-polls and the 2027 state elections. Earlier on October 23, the political atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh heated up after controversial hoardings targeting Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and his party surfaced at the busy National PG College crossing in Lucknow. The hoarding carried a stinging rhyming caption in Hindi: "Sapaiyon ka kya bharosa Chai, samosa, rasmalai, saare mafia apne bhai". The poster features an image of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wearing a white prayer cap, placed alongside images of slain gangster-turned-politicians Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari, as well as jailed senior party leader Mohammad Azam Khan. The controversial poster surfaced in the wake of Akhilesh Yadavs recent visit to the Rampur district jail to meet Azam Khan, an engagement that drew sharp barbs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, who accused the SP of political opportunism and patronising criminal elements. Earlier on October 22, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said his party is "united" to form the government in Uttar Pradesh in 2027. He asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be wiped out in the state, while backing the demand for a caste census and reservation in proportion to population. Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "We are all united to form the government in 2027. And we will all work together. Azam Sahab was, is, and will always be [with us]."Reacting to the demand for a caste census, Yadav said it had become a common demand among political parties, particularly those representing backward classes, Dalits and marginalised communities that do not receive reservation in proportion to their population."It has now become a common demand across all partiesespecially among the backward classes, Dalits, and those who do not receive reservation in proportion to their populationthat a caste census should be conducted," he said. He added that these communities wanted reservation in proportion to their population and expressed support for the demand. "They want reservation to be granted in proportion to their population. I support this, and I believe that whether it is the Bind, Nishad, or Kashyap communitiesor any other backwards, Dalit, or marginalised groupeveryone wants reservation based on their population," Yadav said. Asked about the 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, the SP chief accused the BJP of deliberately delaying its implementation, saying the party could ensure greater representation for women if it wanted to. "Well, the Women's Reservation Bill has already been passed. The BJP deliberately does not want to grant this reservation to women. If the BJP truly wanted to, the reservation could be implemented today," he said. Yadav said the SP had directed that women should constitute 33 per cent of the candidates fielded by the party, describing it as a formula championed by former SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, whom he referred to as 'Netaji'. "As for our party, we have set a clear directive: the party must ensure that 33% of the candidates fielded are womena formula that was championed by Netaji and the Samajwadi Party," he added. Responding to a question about AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi visiting Rampur and fielding candidates in the constituency, Yadav said anyone was entitled to contest elections in a democracy."Look, in a democracy, anyone can contest elections. The people of Uttar Pradesh want to remove the Bharatiya Janata Party," he said. Predicting a decisive defeat for the ruling party in the 2027 state Assembly elections, Yadav said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party is going to be wiped out from Uttar Pradesh. No matter what conspiracies or schemes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may devise, they will not succeed this time." (ANI)
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