Samajwadi Party seniors sidelined

The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh is reducing its dependence on the seniors for the 2017 Assembly campaign.

UP chief minister and state SP president Akhilesh Yadav, who will be leading the party’s campaign, has decided to put youth leaders at the helm of the campaign.

The chief minister has convened a meeting of the Lohia Vahini, Mulayam Singh Youth Brigade, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha from July 18 to 21 to inform them of their role in the campaign.

“The sheer power of the youth propelled the Samajwadi Party to a comfortable majority in the 2012 elections and under the leadership of Mr Akhilesh Yadav, this youth power has consolidated in the party’s favour. Mr Akhilesh Yadav will now be using the youth power in the party to carry out the campaign”, said an aide of the chief minister.

The elders in the party will restrict themselves to addressing rallies and working in coordination with Mulayam Singh Yadav. The youth team that will be actively involved in campaigning, meanwhile, will report directly to the chief minister. “The youth leaders will fan out into the village through cycle yatras and will connect with the young voters, inform them of the achievements of the Akhilesh government and even distributed publicity material connected to the various schemes launched for the youth”, the source said. Young female workers in the party will also be actively involved in campaigning this time. “Young girls have benefitted the most in the Akhilesh government through laptop distribution schemes and others like Rani Laxmibai awards and scholarships. The government has worked for women empowerment. The youth leaders will be accompanied by young women who will reach out to women voters in the rural interiors”, the source added. Young ministers and legislators will also be roped in for campaigning outside their own constituencies. The increased involvement of the youth in campaigning this time, is apparently a result of the increasing chasm between the young and old generations in the party. The recent events including the controversy over the merger of Mukhtar Ansari’s party, Qaumi Ekta Dal, has thrown into the open, the differences between Mr Akhilesh Yadav and the elders in the party. “Since Akhilesh Yadav has ably led the government, it is only justified that he should be handed over the reins of the campaign and given a free hand to decide the tone and tenor of the campaign. The seniors will be there to assist him as and when needed”, said a veteran Samajwadi leader who is also a senior minister in the state government.