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There has always been a heated debate between the party and the opposition regarding the image of Samajwadi Party (SP) in the politics of Uttar Pradesh. Especially in the 90s and thereafter, opposition parties use the allegations of ‘hooliganism and law and order’ leveled against SP as their biggest weapon in every election. At present, SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav is trying hard to give his party a new and clean image through ‘PDA’ by taking it forward from a modern, developmental and ‘MY’ equation. Akhilesh wants that the old image of the party should be completely erased from the minds of the public. But meanwhile, some recent statements and stance of the party’s senior leader and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav have sparked a new debate within and outside the party, due to which it seems that while the nephew is busy washing away the stains, the uncle is unknowingly scratching the same old wound.
Akhilesh Yadav’s struggle to change his image and new strategy
Ever since Akhilesh Yadav took command as the Chief Minister of UP in 2012, his first priority was to change the muscle-man image of the party. By maintaining distance from faces like DP Yadav and Mukhtar Ansari, he had tried to give the message that the new Samajwadi Party will not give protection to criminals. Even in recent years, Akhilesh Yadav has been vocal on the issue of law and order and development through his rallies, statements and social media posts. He is constantly trying to assure the public that any kind of anarchy will not be tolerated if SP comes to power. This hesitation of his is being considered very important to make the party acceptable at the national level and in the entire society.
Difficulty arose due to old attitude and statements of uncle Shivpal Yadav
On one hand, Akhilesh Yadav is busy in doing corporate and progressive makeover of the party, while on the other hand, Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is considered an expert player in grassroots politics, is not able to leave his old style. In recent times, in order to energize the workers or to challenge the opposition, some such statements of Shivpal Yadav have come to light, which remind of the same old working style of SP which the opposition has been promoting by calling it ‘SP’s hooliganism’. This aggressive and old typical style of Shivpal Yadav may enliven the workers, but it spoils the entire branding of Akhilesh Yadav which he is trying to create among the middle class and women voters.
Akhilesh Yadav is washing the stains and why is uncle intent on scrubbing them?
Political pundits believe that Shivpal Yadav has his own base within the party, which is linked to the conflictual and aggressive politics of the old era. But in today’s changed digital and conscious politics, voters are very sensitive about law and order. Whenever Shivpal Yadav or any leader of his group speaks the language of old-fashioned bullying or influence, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gets an opportunity to attack the SP from its seat. In such a situation, it is natural to raise the question that "Uncle Shivpal ji, when Akhilesh Yadav is trying so hard to erase the ‘old stain of hooliganism’ from the face of the party, then why are you destroying that history by making such statements again and again?"
It is a big challenge for SP to coordinate on the double front.
The biggest challenge facing the Samajwadi Party at this time is to deal with the internal contradictions. On the one hand, the party needs the energy of Shivpal Yadav’s grassroots and aggressive workers, and on the other hand, it also needs to increase the acceptance of Akhilesh Yadav’s modern and clean image. If there is no proper coordination between these two ends of uncle and nephew’s politics, then Akhilesh’s campaign to improve the image of the party will remain incomplete. Now the people of UP vote on the issues of development and security, in such a situation the SP leadership will have to understand that repeatedly reminding them of the mistakes of the past which had kept them away from power, can make the path of their future more difficult.