No cycle, laptop-powered SP banks on Akhilesh’s face in J&K polls
The Samajwadi Party, lacking its cycle symbol, is contesting Jammu and Kashmir elections with Akhilesh Yadav's image, using the laptop symbol for 20 seats.
The Samajwadi Party, which has not been allotted its traditional cycle symbol for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections as it does not yet have national status, is banking on the face of party chief Akhilesh Yadav to make an impression at the hustings.
In its quest to spread its wings, the Samajwadi Party will contest 20 assembly seats in the second and third phases of the elections to be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively and most party candidates have opted for the laptop as the symbol. The first phase of polling was held on Wednesday. The laptop was in the limelight when the Akhilesh-led government came to power in Uttar Pradesh over a decade ago.
In the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav had promised free laptops to students. On coming to power, his government distributed over 27 lakh laptops in the first two years. The scheme was discontinued after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in which the SP’s tally of seats came down to five from 22 in the previous parliamentary general election in Uttar Pradesh.
Most of the party’s Jammu and Kashmir candidates are using pictures of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and SP patriarch the late Mulayam Singh Yadav so that people can relate them with the party.
The candidates are going from door to door and explaining people that they are from Samajwadi Party, but the party symbol in Jammu and Kashmir elections is different.
The Samajwadi Party feels Akhilesh Yadav’s face is attracting people post the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in which the SP emerged as the third largest part in the country.
Speaking over the phone, Dr Aziz Khan, an SP panellist and member of the team that has been given responsibility for the Jammu and Kashmir elections, said, “In the second phase, we are contesting on five seats in Kashmir division. In the third phase, we are contesting on 10 seats in Kashmir and five in Jammu division. The symbol is important, but more important is the face of our party, which is our national president Akhilesh Yadav. People in Jammu and Kashmir are really fond of Akhileshji, people are closely monitoring the Samajwadi Party, especially after the Lok Sabha elections after which SP had emerged as the third largest party.”
“There is an inclination of people towards the Samajwadi Party. At the same time, we are trying to reach people down the line that Samajwadi Party is contesting on a different election symbol (laptop) in Jammu and Kashmir. Workers are busy making (people) aware of this fact; however, people are willing to vote on the name of Akhilesh Yadav. Pictures of Akhilesh Ji and Neta Ji Mulayam Singh Yadav are being used by our candidates. On social media, also we are getting a lot of traction,” Khan added.
On the allotment of laptop as the election symbol, Khan said, “Initially we wanted the cycle, which is the traditional symbol of the Samajwadi Party, but unfortunately it was not allotted to us. Candidates were given a choice of three to four symbols out of which most of them chose the symbol of laptop.”
“There was no alliance for Jammu and Kashmir elections, we are contesting independently. If you see in Haryana also, AAP and Congress are contesting separately. INDIA alliance partners, who are contesting separately, have their own issues. We have our own agenda at the state level. However, there is no conflict among us, we all want just one thing and that is to defeat the BJP. People here are unhappy with the BJP. Also, people are looking for winning candidates here in Jammu and Kashmir,” added Khan who has been camping in Jammu and Kashmir for many days.
The SP team, which is overseeing the Jammu and Kashmir elections, plans to rope in the party’s national president for campaigning.
“We are planning to call the national president for his programme in the third phase. Soon, things will be finalised. Most likely, Akhileshji will come here for the third phase,” Aziz Khan said.
According to Election Commission of India data, the Samajwadi Party had also contested the 2008 and 2014 Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections but had failed to make a mark. As per ECI data in 2008, the SP had contested on 36 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir and had polled 24,194 votes, amounting to 0.61% of the vote share. In 2014, the SP had fielded candidates on seven seats and had polled 4985 votes, 0.10% vote share.
There are 90 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir -- 47 in Kashmir and 43 in the Jammu division. Nine of these seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and seven for Scheduled Castes. After voting in three phases, the election results will be declared on October 8.
According to the Election Commission, there are 87.09 lakh (8.7 million) voters in 90 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir. Out of these voters, 42.6 lakh are women. There are 3.71 lakh first- time voters and a total of 20.7 lakh young voters in the age bracket of 20 to 29 years.