Stunned By Milkipur Loss, SP Unveils ‘2027 Formula’ Ahead Of Assembly Polls

Last Updated:February 13, 2025, 21:37 IST

The blueprint is aimed at strengthening the party’s political foothold and inducting retired bureaucrats from backward, Dalit, and minority communities into its political machinery apart from early candidate announcements and reinforcing booth-level networks

The party aims to make farmers’ distress, labour rights, and youth employment central themes of its campaign for the 2027 polls. (PTI)

The Samajwadi Party (SP), which has set its eyes on the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, has unveiled its ‘2027 formula’—a revamped strategy aimed at strengthening its political foothold and inducting retired bureaucrats from backward, Dalit, and minority (PDA) communities into its political machinery.

Alongside this, the SP’s strategy includes early candidate announcements, reinforcing booth-level networks, and using social media as a tool to crowdsource key electoral issues directly from the people.

BJP’s Dominance in Milkipur Bypolls

The fresh strategy was revealed in the recent party meeting where the reasons behind the party’s poor performance in the recent UP assembly bypolls were discussed.

In the Milkipur assembly by-election, the BJP registered a thumping victory by securing a margin of 61,710 votes. BJP candidate Chandrabhanu Paswan maintained a steady lead since the initial counting rounds, which only widened as the day progressed. The bypolls were necessitated after Awadhesh Prasad, the SP MLA from Milkipur, was elected as an MP from the Ayodhya (Faizabad) parliamentary seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leaving the assembly seat vacant.

Originally scheduled for November, the bypoll faced legal challenges when BJP leader Gorakhnath filed a petition in the high court, challenging Prasad’s nomination. However, he later withdrew the petition, clearing the way for the election.

Political observers defined the BJP’s win as a victory of Hindutva and the development formula over SP’s Picchda Dalit Alpasankhyak (PDA) strategy, which failed to resonate with the masses. The BJP’s triumph in Milkipur was seen as a response to its loss in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, bringing the bypoll tally of the BJP and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) to 8 out of 10, while SP managed to secure only two seats.

Strengthening Booth-Level Organisation

In the introspective meeting, SP identified one of its biggest weaknesses: a relatively weaker booth-level organisation compared to the BJP. The party is now focused on rectifying this by creating a strong network of booth-level officials and workers across the state.

“We realised during the by-elections that we were not as strong at the grassroots level as the BJP. Now, we are focusing on strengthening our presence in every booth," said an SP insider.

Early Candidate Selection for Better Outreach

Unlike previous elections where SP announced its candidates relatively late, the party now plans to declare candidates nearly 18 months before the elections. This strategic move will give candidates sufficient time to build influence in their respective constituencies.

“Early announcement of candidates will help them connect with voters, strengthen the party’s presence, and counter BJP’s outreach programmes," said a party strategist.

District party presidents and candidates will be tasked with forming booth-level teams and mobilising support in their constituencies, ensuring that candidates are well-prepared with an organisational structure in place by the time the elections approach.

Engaging Retired Bureaucrats for Strategic Inputs

The Samajwadi Party is also looking to leverage the expertise of retired bureaucrats, including former IAS, IPS, and Election Commission officials. Akhilesh Yadav recently held discussions with former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, signaling SP’s intent to involve experts in shaping its election strategy. More retired officers are expected to join the advisory panel to help SP counter BJP’s well-structured electoral machinery.

“We are seeking expert advice on election management, governance policies, and campaign planning. Their inputs will be crucial for the upcoming battle," said a senior SP functionary.

Public Engagement and Policy Planning

To ensure its manifesto resonates with the people, SP plans to seek public opinion on key issues through social media campaigns and outreach programmes. The party believes that grassroots concerns should shape its electoral agenda.

A senior leader said, “We want to raise issues that matter to the common people—farmers, laborers, and youth. Our policies will be guided by what the public demands."

Party insiders said in the 2027 assembly elections, the party intends to highlight alleged atrocities against backward classes, Dalits, and minorities under BJP rule. The party believes that the PDA alliance, which played a crucial role in the 2024 elections, can be mobilised again to prevent BJP’s return to power.

“The BJP government has systematically targeted PDA communities. Our fight is to ensure their rights and representation," said SP spokesperson Manoj Yadav.

Farmers, Labourers, and Youth Unemployment

The party aims to make farmers’ distress, labour rights, and youth employment central themes of its campaign. SP argues that BJP’s economic policies have worsened conditions for these groups, and intends to counter this by proposing welfare-oriented solutions, a party insider said.

Countering Vote Division by Smaller Parties

SP is particularly wary of smaller parties like AIMIM and Azad Samaj Party, which could split anti-BJP votes. The party is assigning regional Muslim and Dalit leaders the task of countering these parties’ influence and ensuring that votes remain consolidated in SP’s favour.

“We will not allow BJP to benefit from vote division. Our outreach programmes will educate people on how splitting votes can harm the opposition’s chances," said SP spokesperson Amik Jamei.

With Akhilesh Yadav set to personally oversee preparations, the party hopes to avoid past mistakes and mount a formidable challenge in the upcoming elections.

News politics Stunned By Milkipur Loss, SP Unveils ‘2027 Formula’ Ahead Of Assembly Polls