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Agra was MSY’s favourite venue for party conventions
Many claim that Agra was considered ‘lucky’ by Mulayam Singh Yadav and so he chose it as the venue for national convention ahead of state assembly and parliamentary elections.
Agra The Samajwadi Party won the Agra parliamentary seat only in 1999 and 2004 since Independence, and this was attributed more to be personal charisma of SP leader Raj Babbar who had his roots in Agra. Yet, the city remained Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s favourite venue for national convention of the party.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was an alumnus of Agra University (now named Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University of Agra) and did his post-graduation in political science from Balwant Rajput College (now RBS College) in Agra.
Many claim that Agra was considered ‘lucky’ by Mulayam Singh Yadav and so he chose it as the venue for national convention ahead of state assembly and parliamentary elections. His son Akhilesh Yadav also chose to hold the party’s national convention in Agra after assuming office of SP president before the 2017 assembly election. However, the party, plagued by infighting, lost the state assembly election of 2017.
“Agra was close to Yadav heartland, the stronghold of Netaji and near to Etawah, Mainpuri. The city had better infrastructure compared to other nearby districts and because of TaJ Mahal, had strong media. Netaji had studied at BR College in Agra for his MA in political science and was alumni of the then Agra University. So he had fondness for Agra,” said CP Rai, two-time minister of state in Mulayam cabinet.
“After formation of Samajwadi Party in 1992, not many resources were available and politics was much in turmoil. Netaji thought of holding meet of newly created national executive. Agra came as a natural choice and the national executive meet in Agra in 1993 was followed by formation of the party’s government in the state. So, Agra was considered lucky,” said Rai while returning from Safai after attending the last rites of Netaji.
The party’s convention was again held on GIC ground here in 2003 and brought Mulayam Singh Yadav to power again. The party held its national convention at Kothi Meena Bazaar ground in 2009 and got good results in the parliamentary elections that year. The then party president Mulayam Singh Yadav again organised the national meet at ‘Targhar’ (Central Telegraph Office ground) in 2011 and the party tasted grand success during the 2012 state assembly elections which brought Akhilesh Yadav to power as UP chief minister, said party leaders in Agra.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, in his addresses here in Agra, repeatedly complained about lack of electoral success in Agra as even in the state assembly election, The Samajwadi Party (SP) did not get much success in Agra. It had last tasted success in the assembly elections of 2012 by winning one seat -- Bah in Agra district and went without any seat in 2022 state assembly election.
