Akhilesh Yadav says 'PD' in PDA stands for Pandits in Brahmin outreach

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav told a crowd in Lucknow that the letters ‘PD’ in the party’s PDA acronym represent Pandits.

During a ceremony marking Janeshwar Mishra’s birth anniversary in Lucknow, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav emphasized that the ‘PD’ component of the party’s PDA acronym stands for Pandits, framing it as a nod to Brahmin concerns. He reminded listeners that PDA originally signified Pichrde, Dalits and Alpsankhyaks, the core voter base that helped the party secure 37 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 election, and that the acronym has been broadened over time to include women, upper castes and the exploited.

Yadav highlighted alleged injustices against Brahmins, referencing the September 2023 murder of Dr Ghanshyam Tiwari in Sultanpur and the alleged involvement of BJP member Ajai Narain Singh, as well as the 2020 death of gangster Vikas Dubey during a police transfer. He also mentioned Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s denied holy dip at the Magh Mela and the humiliation of Brahmin disciples there. The remarks were met with applause from party cadres gathered on the headquarters lawn.