Akhilesh calls Dalits 'damdar', vows to wipe out BJP in UP
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is intensifying his outreach to the Dalit community ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections. He rebranded his 'PDA' coalition to include 'Damdar Dalit' and criticized the BJP for alleged anti-Dalit policies.
Why it matters
This strategy signals a shift in electoral alliances in India's most populous state, focusing on consolidating marginalized groups against the ruling party.
Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday sharpened the Samajwadi Party's Dalit outreach ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Calling for the BJP's ouster, he described Dalits as 'Damdar' (assertive).Addressing a Dalit Sammelan in Agra, the SP chief said the community would play a decisive role in defeating the ruling party.According to PTI, Akhilesh gave a new meaning to the 'D' in his party's PDA formulation, saying it now stood for 'Damdar Dalit'."Looking at the support of the Dalit community, I can say that the 'D' in our 'PDA' has now become 'Damdar Dalit'," he said. He described the gathering as the beginning of a broader movement for the upliftment of marginalised communities.PDA stands for 'Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak', referring to backward classes, Dalits and minorities.
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