With more than a year and a half to go before the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have begun early preparations to consolidate their voter base. Both parties are targeting non-Yadav OBCs and Dalit communities, aiming to replicate and build upon their performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The outreach strategy of the SP, in particular, is to focus towards non-Yadav OBC communities, especially those that have distanced themselves from the BJP in 2024 or where the saffron party’s grip has loosened in recent years.
A senior SP leader and former MP confirmed that the party held a key meeting this week with OBC office-bearers from the Saini, Kushwaha, and Shakya communities. These representatives have been tasked with organizing PDA Chaupals (outreach meetings) to bolster support for the party.
The meeting was attended by a legislator from the Saini community in western UP, a Kushwaha MP from eastern UP, and a Shakya MP from western UP. Following the success of these grassroots initiatives, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is expected to address dedicated rallies for these communities in the coming months.
According to insiders, communities such as Gujjars, Kushwahas, and Pasis have increasingly shown signs of drifting away from the BJP since the 2022 Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Notable examples include Pallavi Patel’s victory from Sirathu (Kaushambi) on an SP ticket, Babu Singh Kushwaha’s win as SP MP from Jaunpur, and Awadhesh Prasad’s election from Faizabad (Ayodhya).
Beyond its traditional Yadav voter base, the SP’s electoral strategy now includes outreach programme to woo other OBC castes as well as Dalit castes like Jatavs and Pasis. Buoyed by its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) coalition, which helped the party win 38 Lok Sabha seats, SP leaders believe the time is ripe to expand their influence among marginalized communities, particularly amid BSP’s declining electoral fortunes.
Meanwhile, in view of its recent electoral setbacks, the BSP has also started preparing for the battle ahead. The party is particularly concerned about SP’s outreach to Dalits and its growing proximity with Congress, a trend evident in the Lok Sabha polls and expected to continue in 2027.
BSP supremo Mayawati is scheduled to address a major rally of block-level workers in Lucknow on October 9, commemorating the death anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram.
A BSP source told ‘ The Statesman’ that Mayawati has decided to reorganize workers with a sharp focus on consolidating Dalit votes. Interestingly, she may also consider re-inducting leaders who had left the party earlier, with attention on figures like Swami Prasad Maurya, once her close aide.
To ensure the success of the October 9 rally, BSP has arranged at least one bus per four Assembly constituencies, while party workers are tasked with organizing transport to bring supporters to the venue.