By Poonam Sharma
The troubles for Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav have mounted. His TV appearance is being read deep, particularly in the midst of indications that his potential visit to Ayodhya may or may not occur. But with leaders such as Awadhesh Prasad evidencing shifting tendencies, the story might further complicate Akhilesh’s life
“the line taken by Akhilesh Yadav raises questions not just about his immediate political alignment but also about the future.”
Akhilesh Yadav, the largest of the Samajwadi Party leaders, is in the firing line. Family parties—whether Congress, state-level parties like Lalu Prasad Yadav’s, or Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena—have always been run on the conviction that only family individuals can become leaders. This haughtiness has taken its toll on many.
Consider Raj Thackeray, for example. Though a rival, he did not manage to dent Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. But Uddhav, in an attitude of arrogance, drastically changed the party’s ideology from Hindutva to so-called secularism. He joined hands with the Congress and NCP, parties commonly alleged to practice Muslim appeasement politics. But what did he do? He lost his own party. A relatively unknown leader like Eknath Shinde emerged in control.
Likewise, such family-operated units—where dissent within is not allowed—is subject to implosion. Akhilesh Yadav’s strategy is under scrutiny within the party too. MPs and MLAs feel that although the existing alliance with Muslim and OBC voters has thus far succeeded, Akhilesh’s strategy on some issues, especially his stance on Muslim-centric matters, could cost other voter bases.
At present, the SP has approximately four Muslim MPs, including Ziaur Rahman of Sambhal and members from Muzaffarnagar, Rampur, and Ghazipur. But aside from these, the party also has 33 Hindu MPs. Most of them are not from Muslim-majority constituencies. These MPs now fear: if SP is perceived as a party that only cares about Muslim issues, how will they be able to win their seats?
Earlier, SP had won because of BJP’s internal leadership crisis and ticket allocation controversies. But now the situation is different. Akhilesh’s family rules the party—his wife Dimple Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, Ramgopal Yadav, all are close relatives. They receive tickets from secure seats, but others don’t have that luxury.
In the meantime, senior Hindu MPs such as Awadhesh Prasad are going all out—he recently met Ram Lalla at Ayodhya. There’s gossip that SP must apologize for Mulayam Singh Yadav’s contentious previous actions in Ayodhya. If Akhilesh wants to enjoy the legacy, then he must accept the blame.
A feeling of fear is now apparent. Muslim groups, such as the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, have clearly called for protests against CAA and other BJP government decisions. Black band protests and effigy burnings were conducted last Friday. Clerics and leaders of Muslims are opposed to what they term “un-Islamic decisions” but public demonstrations still took place.
Akhilesh is now caught between a dual challenge. Muslim leaders are pressuring him to protest against government policies on one hand, and Hindu MPs are anxious about electoral defeat on the other hand and demand that he play it cautiously. If SP goes on looking like a strictly Muslim party, it can risk alienating huge voter chunks. And if it retracts from Muslim issues, it will lose its core support base.
This confusion is spreading within the legislature as well. SP MLAs and MPs are going in different directions. BJP is happy—they are exploiting this discontent. Dimple Yadav and others are mum. Explosive dissatisfaction is simmering.
This gives the party its first jolt ahead of 2027 UP Assembly elections as Akhilesh Yadav seems to bat only on Muslim-centric issues and that triggers huge disconnection among his party’s Hindu leaders, and this can only be strengthening the hands of the BJP as it gets better consolidated.
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