SP to reshape organisation with PDA focus
The appointment of Shyam Lal Pal as the new SP state president on May 6, 2024, marked the first step towards this revamp. Pal succeeded Naresh Uttam Patel, who contested and won the Fatehpur Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gearing up for its organisational polls, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is also aims to revitalise its cadre and expand its influence. The SP is preparing for an organisational overhaul, placing the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) strategy at the forefront to strengthen its grassroots network ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The appointment of Shyam Lal Pal as the new SP state president on May 6, 2024, marked the first step towards this revamp. Pal succeeded Naresh Uttam Patel, who contested and won the Fatehpur Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections. Patel, a long-time associate of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, played a key role in the party’s PDA-centric approach, which helped the SP secure 37 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in U.P.
Party insiders revealed that SP’s organisational restructuring will focus on giving maximum representation to PDA communities. A senior SP leader, speaking on anonymity, said, “The party has been working to strengthen its organisation for a while now. The upcoming changes will prioritise PDA representation to ensure that more people from these communities join the SP fold. We aim to build an inclusive organisation.”
The PDA formula, successfully tested in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has become a cornerstone of SP’s strategy. The leadership believes that by giving key responsibilities to leaders from backward, Dalit, and minority communities, the party can further consolidate its support base in these segments.
Meanwhile, the SP is yet to take a call on alliances for the 2027 state elections. The senior leader clarified, “No final decision has been made regarding an alliance with the Congress or any other party.”
In the 2022 assembly polls, the SP forged alliances with several smaller parties. Jayant Chaudhary’s Rashtriya Lok Dal got 33 seats but later joined the National Democratic Alliance. Om Prakash Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, allotted 17 seats, also shifted to the NDA, with Rajbhar becoming a minister in Yogi 2.0. Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) merged with SP after securing one seat. Mahaan Dal received two seats but parted ways post-election. Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (Kameravadi) defeated Deputy CM Keshav Maurya from Sirathu, while the Nationalist Congress Party was given one seat.
