The Samajwadi Party (SP) is preparing to make another major move in Uttar Pradesh politics, with a renewed focus on consolidating Dalit votes. As part of this strategy, the party is considering fielding candidates from the Dalit community on a large scale, even from general (unreserved) assembly seats.
What is the thinking behind this move? Is the party conducting surveys on the ground? Which general seats could see Dalit candidates? Whose tickets may be cut to accommodate them? And what electoral equation did SP follow in the 2024 elections? This report looks for answers to these key questions.
Why has Samajwadi Party adopted this strategy?
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, along with strong support from backward classes, a significant section of Dalit voters also backed the Samajwadi Party. This shift has caused concern within the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is attempting to regain its traditional Dalit vote base in Uttar Pradesh.
Over the past few months, BSP chief Mayawati has held several large rallies and organisational meetings to revive the party.
Dalits constitute nearly 20 per cent of Uttar Pradesh’s population. While 84 assembly seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Dalit votes play a decisive role even in many general constituencies. SP’s strategy is aimed at making inroads into BSP’s core support base.
A formula that worked in 2024
In the 2024 general elections, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav campaigned on the PDA slogan — Backward, Dalit and Minority. Under this formula, the party gave tickets to candidates from non-Yadav communities on a significant number of seats.
Notably, Dalit candidates were fielded on two general Lok Sabha seats. In Faizabad, considered a BJP stronghold, SP nominated Awadhesh Prasad and went on to win. In Meerut, Sunita Verma was fielded, and the contest between SP and BJP was decided by a very narrow margin.
The party is now preparing for the 2027 assembly elections along similar lines.
Surveys underway at the ground level
SP has deployed multiple survey teams across the state to assess the political mood on the ground. These teams are evaluating which candidates are strong in which areas, identifying general seats where Dalit candidates could be viable, and reviewing the performance of sitting SP MLAs.
According to party sources, a recent survey report submitted to Akhilesh Yadav highlighted strong anti-incumbency against an SP MLA. The report also mentioned several general seats in western Uttar Pradesh where the party may consider fielding Dalit candidates. These include constituencies in Bijnor, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad and Hapur districts.
Likely reduction in Yadav and Muslim tickets
Sources within SP indicate that to accommodate more Dalit candidates, the party may reduce ticket allocations for Yadavs, Muslims and even some upper-caste candidates.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, SP largely restricted Yadav tickets to members of the Mulayam Singh Yadav family, all of whom won. The party also cut some Muslim tickets. For example, in Moradabad, sitting MP ST Hasan was denied a ticket, which was instead given to Ruchi Vira, who went on to win the seat.
Kurmi community to get greater representation
Alongside Dalits, SP is also focusing strongly on the Kurmi vote bank. In the 2024 elections, Kurmi support played a key role in the party’s performance against the BJP.
Out of 62 Lok Sabha seats contested by SP, 12 candidates were from the Kurmi community, and seven of them won. Victories came from Kurmi-dominated constituencies such as Ambedkarnagar, Basti, Shravasti, Pratapgarh, Lakhimpur Kheri, Banda and Fatehpur.
SP had fielded Kurmi candidates in all these seats. The party plans to replicate this approach in the assembly elections as well. This was also reflected in Akhilesh Yadav’s recent New Year visit to the residence of Pratapgarh MP SP Patel, which sent a clear political message.
What party leaders and analysts say
Shravasti MP Ram Shiromani Verma said,
We are working at the grassroots level. Our workers have reached booth level during the SIR process and helped people. The Kurmi community stood with SP in 2024 and continues to do so. SP has given due respect to our community. In fact, Akhilesh Yadav is receiving support from people across castes and communities.
Political analyst Hisam Siddiqui said the strategy draws directly from the success of 2024.
Fielding Dalit candidates on general seats sends a strong message of social justice. It could also help address the long-standing Yadav–Dalit friction within SP. However, whether Dalit voters will fully back SP candidates in Yadav-dominated areas can only be assessed once candidates are announced.
Senior journalist Virendra Nath Bhatt said SP’s primary aim is to increase its vote share while safeguarding the support it gained in 2024. “When SP formed the government in 2012, it had around 29 per cent vote share. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, SP and Congress together secured close to 44 per cent. If SP is able to reach a similar figure in the assembly elections, it will be well placed to form the government.”
Syed Yasir Raza | Lucknow
Courtesy : Bhaskar English
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