‘D in PDA now stands for Damdar Dalit’: Akhilesh targets BJP ahead of UP polls

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday gave a new meaning to his party's PDA formulation, declaring that the 'D' now stood for Damdar Dalit (assertive Dalit), as he stepped up his attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Addressing a Dalit Sammelan in Agra, Yadav said the participation of Dalit communities reflected growing support for the SP's political campaign. He described the gathering as the beginning of a wider movement aimed at securing the rights and dignity of marginalised sections.

The PDA formulation, central to the SP's political outreach, stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (minorities).

Referring to the turnout, Yadav said the Dalit community had become more assertive and claimed it would play a decisive role in challenging the BJP in the upcoming elections.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐃𝐀

Thanking party MP Ramji Lal Suman and other leaders for organising the conference, Yadav said the gathering demonstrated the strength of the SP's social coalition.

He asserted that the BJP's political position in Agra, which it considered a stronghold, would face a challenge from Dalit voters.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also alleged that the BJP was attempting to weaken the PDA coalition following its setbacks in recent elections.

Yadav described the 2027 Assembly election as a contest between the interests of marginalised communities and the policies of the ruling party.

He claimed that the SP's emphasis on social justice and constitutional protections was receiving increasing support among disadvantaged sections.

𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

Targeting the BJP government over alleged atrocities against Dalits, Yadav claimed that Uttar Pradesh had recorded the highest number of such incidents, citing National Crime Records Bureau data.

He further alleged that nearly 200 statues of Dr B R Ambedkar had been vandalised across the state over the past decade without adequate action against those responsible.

According to Yadav, the Samajwadi Party had published a newsletter documenting incidents of vandalism, including the locations and details of those allegedly involved.

He argued that attacks on Ambedkar's statues represented an assault on the constitutional values associated with the architect of India's Constitution.

Yadav accused the BJP of weakening constitutional safeguards and alleged that its policies had undermined the rights of Dalits, backward classes and minorities.

The allegations were made during his political address and were not independently established.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐬

The SP chief also raised concerns over the deletion of names from electoral rolls, urging members of the PDA communities to remain vigilant about their voting rights.

Referring to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's claim regarding the deletion of 1.27 crore Hindu voters' names, Yadav questioned how such a large number of deletions could have occurred under a BJP-led administration.

He claimed that Dalit voters had taken steps to ensure their names were included in electoral rolls, while Muslim voters had sought to protect their registration.

Yadav linked the protection of voting rights to the broader struggle for constitutional safeguards and democratic representation.

𝐁𝐉𝐏 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤

Taking a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's description of the BJP's position in Uttar Pradesh as Angad's foot, Yadav suggested that the party's political foundation could be challenged.

He also criticised the BJP over alleged examination paper leaks, unemployment and the closure of government primary schools, claiming that these developments had disproportionately affected children from marginalised communities.

The SP president promised greater emphasis on social justice, employment opportunities, education and welfare measures for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes if his party returned to power.

He also spoke about improving police response services and ensuring minimum wages and overtime payments for workers in Agra's industries.

Yadav maintained that the SP would continue mobilising backward classes, Dalits and minorities under its PDA platform ahead of the Assembly elections.

The 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are expected to be a major political contest between the ruling BJP and opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, with caste representation, employment, welfare and constitutional rights emerging as prominent campaign issues.