Growing discontent is brewing among upper caste leaders within the Samajwadi Party (SP) as party chief Akhilesh Yadav continues to prioritize the needs of PDA (Pichchra, Dalit, and Alpashankhak) communities. This shift in focus has led to discontent among many upper caste members within the party.
According to a party legislator representing the upper caste, there is a palpable sense of displeasure within the SP, hinting at a potential exodus of members seeking alternative political avenues.
Another legislator from the upper caste, who faced defeat in the recent elections in Western Uttar Pradesh, expressed frustration over Yadav's apparent neglect of those who failed to secure victories, particularly highlighting the disenchantment felt by the upper caste members.
The recent Rajya Sabha elections further highlighted the growing divide, with five out of seven MLAs who cross-voted in favor of the BJP coming from the upper caste. This poses fresh challenges for the SP leadership and cadre managers, who must now navigate a delicate balancing act to ensure both PDA communities and upper caste members receive adequate attention and representation within the party.
Ironically, the party's attempts to appease the upper caste by nominating two candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls failed to yield results, as most of the cross-voting MLAs also hailed from the same demographic.
With the upcoming Vidhan Parishad polls looming, where the BJP is expected to make significant inroads, the SP faces yet another test. Leaders from various caste backgrounds have begun voicing support for PDA initiatives, with Apna Dal (Kameravadi) leader and SP MLA from Sirathu, Pallavi Patel, taking a vocal stance in favor. Patel's endorsement of PDA policies is seen as an attempt to exert pressure on the party leadership ahead of the nomination process for the Vidhan Parishad polls.
Notably, discontent within the party extends beyond the PDA demographic, with Thakur leader IP Singh expressing deep dismay over the actions of upper caste MLAs who defected to the BJP during the Rajya Sabha polls.
The list of SP MLAs who crossed over to the BJP includes party chief whip Manoj Pandey, along with Rakesh Pratap Singh, Rakesh Pandey, Vinod Chaturvedi, Puja Pal, Abhay Singh, and Ashutosh Maurya. Their actions have left a significant impact within the party, prompting introspection and realignment of strategies to address the widening divide among party members.
