Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) President, Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday targeted the BJP on Dussehra, saying the fight against evil should begin in Uttar Pradesh, and flagged off the party’s PDA (Backward Classes, Dalits and minorities) campaign vehicles in preparation for the Assembly elections in the state in 2027.
Flagging off the vehicles at the SP headquarters here, Yadav accused the BJP of undermining social justice, people’s rights and democratic institutions. He also urged party workers to ensure that electoral rolls were accurate and announced that the SP would release its manifesto on November 26, Constitution Day.
The vehicles were flagged off after a ceremonial coconut-breaking ritual, accompanied by conch-blowing and chanting of mantras. The campaign aims to reach young people, marginalised communities and those seeking justice.
“Today, we should resolve to eradicate evil from this land forever. The initiative should begin in Uttar Pradesh,” Yadav said, extending Dussehra greetings.
Invoking Lord Ram, he said Ram Rajya and socialism were complementary ideals. “Those who bring goodness to the world are Sanatanis, while those who do evil are fake Sanatanis,” he said.
Yadav also accused the BJP of misusing Artificial Intelligence (AI), alleging that a video depicting him as Ravana had been circulated by the party early in the morning.
Calling monitoring of electoral roll revision a priority, he said the party could not win the political battle without ensuring that voter lists were accurate. He asked workers to verify entries and remain vigilant throughout the revision process and until the nomination stage.
The SP chief demanded the release of Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and others who, he claimed, had been unnecessarily detained. He accused the BJP of using pressure to keep them behind bars.
Questioning the Election Commission’s handling of alleged duplicate voter entries, Yadav claimed that officials responsible for irregularities were not being held accountable.
He also raised issues of waterlogging in Lucknow, the education system and food adulteration, accusing the BJP of pursuing divisive politics.
On seat-sharing ahead of the Assembly elections, Yadav questioned how many seats the BJP would allocate to its ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and how it would accommodate other partners. He claimed the BJP feared losing its political foothold in Uttar Pradesh.
The SP’s PDA campaign launch and the announcement of its manifesto date signal the party’s preparations for the Assembly elections, with social justice, constitutional values and electoral roll verification featuring prominently in its agenda.
(IANS)
