Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati has sharply criticized the Samajwadi Party’s PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) initiative, terming it a politically motivated and self-serving strategy. Addressing the media and party workers, Mayawati claimed that the PDA campaign lacks sincerity and is being promoted by the SP purely to secure electoral mileage in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
She accused the Samajwadi Party of using the names of marginalized communities for political branding, without presenting a concrete roadmap for their welfare. “The PDA slogan is just another repackaged attempt to mislead voters, especially the backward, Dalit, and minority communities, who have often been let down by the same parties in the past,” she said.
Mayawati stressed that the BSP, unlike other parties, has a long-standing commitment to the upliftment of the oppressed and deprived sections of society. She claimed that the SP’s past record on Dalit and minority issues raises doubts about the seriousness of their PDA narrative.
“The Samajwadi Party had enough time during its tenure to work for backward and minority communities, but their actions didn’t match their promises,” she added. According to her, SP’s new political slogans are merely designed to divide voters rather than unify them under a common developmental vision.
She further cautioned voters not to be misled by such political stunts and emphasized the need for awareness among the electorate. Mayawati stated that the BSP will continue to focus on policies that ensure social justice, economic development, and political representation for the most neglected sections of society.
With Lok Sabha elections drawing closer, political parties are intensifying their outreach to key voter groups. The SP’s PDA push is seen as a counter to the BJP’s broader narrative and BSP’s focused approach, but Mayawati’s rebuttal indicates a continued ideological rift between these opposition forces.
She concluded her remarks by reiterating that only the BSP offers a credible alternative that addresses the real issues of the people and promised that her party would contest the elections with full strength across Uttar Pradesh and other states.
This political exchange marks a significant moment in the pre-election landscape of Uttar Pradesh, where caste and community-based campaigns continue to play a decisive role in electoral outcomes.
