Akhilesh Yadav unfolded the PDA Rath in the heart of Raebareli, a Congress bastion, on Thursday evening, turning the city’s streets into a battlefield of slogans and electric banners.
Yadav slammed the Election Commission for what he called a “vote theft” that he claims cost the Samajwadi Party the 2022 Assembly election. He insisted that, absent the alleged meddling, the party would have secured a majority in Uttar Pradesh.
The PDA – a coalition of Pichhde, Dalits and minorities – forms the backbone of Yadav’s strategy. He declared that the party will contest the 2027 polls in alliance, and that seat allocation will hinge on “winnability” rather than past loyalties.
Beyond politics, Yadav promised to end outsourcing, guarantee free treatment in state hospitals, and reopen schools that the state had shuttered. He also vowed to restore the old pension scheme for government employees.
A mother from Raebareli, whose son lost his job after a contract was outsourced, said he would welcome the new promises, hoping the upcoming elections would bring real change.
The Samajwadi Party will announce its formal alliance framework before the 2027 elections, likely by October, setting the stage for a direct clash with the BJP in the state’s most contested seats.