Akhilesh Yadav courts Brahmins to reshape Samajwadi Party's caste formula for 2027
Ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly poll, Akhilesh Yadav has launched a “Pandit” outreach to attract Brahmin voters, expanding his party’s traditional Yadav-Muslim base.
In a bid to broaden his electoral coalition for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections, Akhilesh Yadav added a “Pandit” focus to his PDA strategy, targeting the state’s Brahmin community. The outreach was announced after the Yogi Adityanath government denied the party’s request to hold an event at Janeshwar Mishra Park, forcing it to shift to party offices. Yadav argued that Brahmins have suffered under the BJP, referencing the September 2023 murder of Dr Ghanshyam Tiwari in Sultanpur, allegedly by a BJP-linked muscleman.
The initiative builds on a 2024 effort that attracted Dalit voters away from Mayawati’s BSP, a shift Yadav highlighted as a success. In response, BSP leader Mayawati claimed the SP’s new focus was a reaction to Brahmins moving toward her party. Historically, Brahmins have been a modest but reliable BJP constituency, and the SP’s overture could force the ruling party to reaffirm its appeal to that group.
Why it matters
The strategy could alter Uttar Pradesh’s caste-driven politics and affect the balance of power in India’s most populous state.
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