SP's strategic shift: From MY formula to inclusive politics

Akhilesh Yadav's decision to curtail the representation of Muslim candidates, despite constituting a significant portion of the state's population, underscores the party's strategic pivot towards a more inclusive electoral narrative.

In a significant departure from its traditional electoral strategy, the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh is undergoing a strategic overhaul in ticket distribution. With a meticulous focus on expanding its support base beyond its historical stronghold, the party's nuanced approach has raised interesting questions: will it reshape the state's political landscape?

"The SP's decision to nominate candidates from diverse communities reflects a pragmatic approach to electoral politics, wherein inclusivity is prioritized over narrow identity-based considerations," observed Nomita P Kumar of Giri Institute of Development Studies in Lucknow.

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Out of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats, the SP is contesting 62. Its INDIA alliance partners are contesting the remaining 18 seats, with 17 for Congress and one for the TMC in Bhadohi. This time, Akhilesh Yadav has made an attempt to ward off pro- Muslim image and one promoting Muslim politics and gave only four tickets to the Muslims as against 20 percent of the community population in the state.

Akhilesh Yadav's decision to curtail the representation of Muslim candidates, despite constituting a significant portion of the state's population, underscores the party's strategic pivot towards a more inclusive electoral narrative. By fielding Hindu candidates in constituencies with substantial minority populations, such as Moradabad and Meerut, the SP aims to transcend traditional electoral divides and appeal to a broader demographic.

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The party has given 10 tickets to Kurmis, 17 to Dalits, 5 Yadav, 4 Muslims, 10 from the upper caste, and the rest OBCs.  “The ticker distribution finds a reflection of PDA – Pichchra Dalit and Alpsankhayak. We have given tickets to the people of marginal class who otherwise remained ignored,” Rajendra Chaudhry, a senior SP leader told Moneycontrol.

The distribution of tickets reflects a deliberate effort to accommodate a diverse spectrum of caste groups, with allocations made to Kurmis, Dalits, Yadavs, Muslims, upper castes, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This strategic maneuvering is aimed at dispelling the perception of the SP as a "Yadav-centric" party and fostering a sense of inclusivity among marginalized communities.

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The SP seems keen to woo non-Yadav OBCs, which is reflected in the appointment of Shyam Lal Pal, who belongs to the Gaderia community, as UP state president. The party has turned its focus on Kurmi, Maurya, Shakya, Saini and Kushwaha communities in comparison to Muslims and Yadavs. Together, these communities constitute around 6 to 8 percent of the state’s population.

“By focusing on communities such as Kurmis, Mauryas, Shakyas, Sainis, and Kushwahas, the party seeks to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) dominance in forging alliances with sub-regional caste-based parties,” Badri Narayan, Director, G B Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad.

The SP's strategic evolution reflects a broader trend in Uttar Pradesh's political landscape, with parties across the spectrum recalibrating their electoral strategies to adapt to changing demographic dynamics. As the state braces for a fiercely contested electoral battle, the SP's emphasis on inclusivity and representation has garnered attention and could potentially reshape the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Analysts suggest that the SP's strategic makeover signifies a paradigm shift in its approach towards electoral politics, marking a departure from traditional sectarian affiliations to a more inclusive and pragmatic vision for the future. With the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh undergoing a profound transformation, the SP's strategic recalibration could emerge as a defining factor in shaping the state's political trajectory in the years to come.

Mayawati’s maneuvering:

In contrast, BSP's emphasis is on Muslim representation as this time the party has fielded almost 30 percent Muslim candidates. Of the declared candidates, 22 hail from the Muslim community. BSP had fielded 20 candidates from the upper caste, 17 Dalits, and the rest OBCs.

This shift contrasts with the BSP's approach in the 2019 general elections when it fielded only six Muslim candidates out of 38, it contested constituting a mere 15 percent of its total nominees. However, this time, the BSP aims to leverage the collective strength of Muslim and Dalit voters to challenge the BJP's dominance.

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BJP’s strategy:

The BJP developed a model of OBC social engineering, which it deployed a decade ago. It has included multiple non-dominant OBC and Dalit communities in its broader rainbow of social alliances in various parts of India. This model of social engineering has been prominent in UP, where it has taken the shape of a BJP-led non-Yadav-non Jatav social alliance.

Analysts suggest that the SP's strategic makeover signifies a paradigm shift in its approach towards electoral politics, marking a departure from traditional sectarian affiliations to a more inclusive and pragmatic vision for the future. With the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh undergoing a profound transformation, the SP's strategic recalibration could emerge as a defining factor in shaping the state's political trajectory in the years to come.