The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Friday announced a list of 20 star campaigners for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, marking the party’s formal entry into the high-stakes campaign of the Mahagathbandhan. However, what caught political observers’ attention was not who made it to the list, but who did not.
Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has chosen to bring back senior leader Azam Khan into the campaign fold but has pointedly left out his two influential uncles — Ram Gopal Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav. Their absence has triggered murmurs within party circles, suggesting renewed strains in the Yadav family and a clear indication of Akhilesh’s tightening grip over the party’s political and ideological direction.
The list of star campaigners includes Akhilesh Yadav himself, his wife and Kannauj MP Dimple Yadav, Rajya Sabha MP Kiranmay Nanda, senior leaders Afzal Ansari, Awadhesh Prasad, Naresh Uttam Patel, Lalji Verma, Babu Singh Kushwaha, Om Prakash Singh, Priya Saroj, Ikra Hasan, Chotelal Kharwar, Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, and Dharmendra Solanki, among others.
But the glaring omissions of Ram Gopal Yadav — the party’s national general secretary and long-time political mentor of Akhilesh — and Shivpal Yadav — a senior leader and his estranged uncle who was re-inducted into the SP last year — have raised eyebrows.
“The message is loud and clear — Akhilesh wants complete control. He is rewarding loyalty and signalling that the party’s future belongs to those who align with his strategy,” said a senior SP leader requesting anonymity. “By ignoring both Ram Gopal and Shivpal, Akhilesh has drawn a line between the old guard and his own leadership era.”
Political analysts say the move is as symbolic as it is strategic. Shivpal, who once commanded the loyalty of the party’s organisational base in Etawah and Mainpuri, had broken away from the SP in 2018 to form his own outfit before rejoining the fold. Ram Gopal, though not openly rebellious, has often been seen as the bridge between the family’s warring factions.
“Akhilesh’s decision to exclude both his uncles shows he is not willing to share the spotlight or authority anymore,” said Lucknow-based political commentator Rajendra Kumar. “It’s his way of declaring that the Samajwadi Party of today is entirely his own creation — disciplined, controlled, and focused on his vision rather than family dynamics.”
At the same time, Akhilesh has reached out to Azam Khan, the veteran SP co-founder and 10-time MLA from Rampur, who was recently released from jail after a prolonged legal battle. His inclusion marks a political rehabilitation of sorts for Azam, who had been sidelined in recent years amid speculation about forming his own outfit.
By giving Azam Khan a key role in Bihar, Akhilesh appears to be mending fences with the senior Muslim leader and leveraging his influence among minority voters — an important factor for the Mahagathbandhan’s success in several constituencies.
Party insiders say Akhilesh was personally involved in drafting the list, ensuring representation from backward, Dalit, and minority communities to mirror Bihar's complex caste composition. The inclusion of leaders such as Babu Singh Kushwaha, Lalji Verma, and Awadhesh Prasad underscores SP's effort to expand beyond its traditional Yadav-Muslim base and reach non-Yadav OBCs and Dalits.
"The SP wants to project itself as a party of social inclusion," said Kumar. "The Bihar campaign list reflects that — it is socially broad-based, regionally balanced, and politically calculated."
For Akhilesh, Bihar also offers an opportunity to test his party's resonance beyond Uttar Pradesh and to position himself as a pan-regional opposition leader. His emphasis on welfare politics and alliance building echoes his broader ambition of expanding the SP's footprint in Hindi heartland politics.
"The Samajwadi Party under Akhilesh Yadav is no longer just a UP-centric outfit," said a senior political observer. "It is part of his long-term plan to build alliances and position himself as a national voice against the BJP."
With the Bihar campaign now gathering pace, Akhilesh's star campaigner list does more than outline who will speak at rallies — it signals the evolving power structure within the SP. By embracing Azam Khan and sidelining his uncles, Akhilesh Yadav has made it clear that the era of family-driven politics is over, and a new, centralised Samajwadi Party has firmly taken shape under his command.
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