Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has redefined his 'PDA' acronym, originally for backward, Dalit, and minorities, as 'Patience, Discipline, Action' for social unity. He also included 'Aggrieved Pandits' to cater to upper-caste votes.

Akhilesh Yadav Redefines 'PDA' Plank

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday invoked the 'PDA' as Uttar Pradesh is set to hold Legislative Assembly elections next year. PDA: pichde (backward), Dalit, alpsankhyak (minorities) have been the Samajwadi Party's political plank, which Akhilesh redefined as "Patience, Discipline, Action" in an X post, calling for social unity.

In a graphic shared on X, Akhilesh referred to "Patience, Discipline and Action" as three keys to success. He wrote, "This delightful outcome of the positive politics of PDA is that people are themselves defining PDA in diverse positive forms. Positivity gives birth to harmony, and harmony to social unity, which connects the country with 'love, compassion, and a sense of belonging' and paves a new path to progress and prosperity."

Akhilesh Yadav, on several occasions, has called for a PDA movement and accused the BJP government of not serving the interests of the backward and minority communities. At a gathering on August 22, the Samajwadi Party leader said, "Our goal is to form a government for the establishment of social justice through socialist ideology, through the PDA movement."

Expanding the Acronym

However, in a bid to cater to the votes of the upper-caste electors, Akhilesh recently remarked that the PDA also included aggrieved Pandits. On the birth anniversary of the late Samajwadi Party leader Janeshwar Mishra on August 5, Akhilesh said, "Ever since the BJP lost the Lok Sabha elections to the PDA, they have been creating all sorts of definitions for PDA. But let them know that PDA stands for 'PeeDit Pandit' (Aggrieved Pandit). The more pain the BJP inflicts and the more it increases the suffering, the stronger the PDA will become."

Electoral Stakes in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is set to hold elections next year, where the Samajwadi Party is eyeing a comeback after two consecutive losses. In 2022, SP won 111 of 403 seats, while the BJP swept the polls with 255 seats. However, the party will look to repeat the 2024 Lok Sabha election result, where it won 37 of 80 seats, four more than the BJP. (ANI)

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