Akhilesh Yadav takes a leaf out of BJP’s success formula in UP

In his Independence Day message to the people, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has spelled out his party’s road map for the upcoming assembly elections.In his letter to the country, Yadav has talked about different programs which his party is going to take forward in coming days. There are several new slogans which remind of slogans being raised by the BJP.In the run up to the assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav is trying to reach out to every community and caste group of the state. His two-page letter is more like a mini manifesto of the party before the assembly elections.

In his attempt to attract all the caste group and community, Yadav has invited everyone to join his party and given a slogan Sabko Sthan Sabko Samman (Respectable position for everyone). The slogan sounds similar to BJP’s Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas. However, the party says the idea behind this is different. “Sabka sath is just a slogan for the BJP. Whereas Sabko Samman and Sabko Sthan are our ideology,” Udayveer Singh, MLC and party spokesperson told ET. “When their chief minister washed the CM house before entering, where was the Sabka Sath. We are working for equal rights for every one and on that basis we are demanding a caste based census to give respect and position to people they deserve as per their population.”In the past Samajwadi Party has been criticized by the BJP and other parties of unruly behaviour by some caste groups during the SP government. Yadav understands it and hence he advocates for Anushasan se Shasan (Governance with discipline). He writes that the role of the government should be a service provider. “Every section of the society is unhappy with the current government and they recall work done by the SP government. Our approach is to give them a strong alternative,” adds Udayveer Singh.He wants the party to start a wider public contact program with the name ‘Pahunche Har-Ghar Dwar – Sapa Ke Madadgaar’. He talked in detail about the work done and initiated under his government and wrote that the work will be carried forward once SP comes to power. In the end Yadav appeals for a New UP as the BJP talks about New India.“SP hasn’t come to terms with the loss they suffered at the hands of people of UP in 2017. Thye are trying to copy BJP slogans but people haven’t forgotten their regime yet. All these gimmicks are not going to work,” Rakesh Tripathy, BJP UP spokesperson told ET.