Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav will roll out his much-awaited “PDA Rath” from Rae Bareli on Thursday, marking the formal start of the party’s outreach campaign ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The choice of Rae Bareli, a traditional Congress stronghold currently represented in the Lok Sabha by Rahul Gandhi, has drawn political attention. The visit comes days after a confrontation involving the party’s student wing.
According to the programme, Yadav is scheduled to reach Churua village under Bachhrawan police station around noon. From there, he will board the specially designed PDA Rath and travel to the Government Inter College ground in Rae Bareli to address a public gathering at about 1.30pm. Later, around 3pm, he will proceed by car to the residence of Harchandpur MLA Rahul Lodhi near Ghantaghar Chauraha for a meeting.
On September 17, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha members clashed with activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during a membership drive outside Feroze Gandhi Degree College in Rae Bareli. The situation escalated when SP leaders and workers reached the superintendent of police’s office to protest. Harchandpur MLA Rahul Lodhi, a leader from the Lodhi community, alleged that police personnel manhandled him and other party workers during the scuffle. The police have denied the allegations, stating that their action was limited to maintaining law and order. District authorities later ordered a magisterial inquiry.
Yadav announced his visit to Lodhi’s residence during a press conference in Lucknow a few days ago, describing the episode as an “attack on the PDA” and stating that he would have tea with the MLA as a mark of solidarity.
{{/usCountry}}Yadav announced his visit to Lodhi’s residence during a press conference in Lucknow a few days ago, describing the episode as an “attack on the PDA” and stating that he would have tea with the MLA as a mark of solidarity.
{{/usCountry}}Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abbas Haider said the decision carries a clear message.
“When a PDA representative faces humiliation or feels that his rights and dignity are under question, the leadership of the Samajwadi Party stands with him. PDA is not merely a political slogan; it is about dignity, equal rights and representation for communities that have historically been denied their rightful share,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai reacted cautiously, noting that it was election time and anyone could visit any constituency. He linked the trip to the recent altercation involving the MLA and the district administration.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Dinesh Pratap Singh dismissed the SP-Congress understanding as an “alliance of opportunity” rather than ideology, remarking that the SP chief was entering Rahul Gandhi’s constituency while the Congress leader himself would not be present.
PDA, short for Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak, forms a central plank of the Samajwadi Party’s strategy to consolidate its social base before the 2027 polls. Thursday’s programme will be the first public outing of the campaign vehicle. Rae Bareli district has five assembly seats, of which the SP currently holds Harchandpur, Bachhrawan and Sareni.