Lucknow, September 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday launched the party’s PDA Rath Yatra from Raebareli as part of its outreach and preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Yadav began the yatra aboard a saffron-coloured Rath specially designed from a bus. The launch from Raebareli, traditionally associated with the Congress, has drawn political attention as parties step up their organisational activities ahead of the Assembly polls.
Ahead of the programme, SP leaders and workers put up posters and hoardings at several locations in Raebareli. Some posters depicted Yadav in the avatars of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna and also featured images of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
The campaign drew criticism from Uttar Pradesh Minister Anil Rajbhar, who questioned the SP’s use and definition of the term PDA.
Speaking to IANS, Rajbhar said the SP needed to clarify who it referred to as “PDA” and alleged that the party was attempting to mislead the public by changing its political approach. He also dismissed the Rath Yatra as having little significance and said the SP was undertaking such activities with the elections approaching.
Another Uttar Pradesh Minister, Kapil Dev Agarwal, also criticised the campaign. Speaking to IANS, he said Akhilesh Yadav was now raising issues concerning PDA, caste, religion and the Ram Temple because the elections were approaching. He also claimed that there was growing public trust in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Minister Dayashankar Singh described the PDA campaign as an election slogan and questioned the SP’s explanation of the term. He alleged that Akhilesh Yadav had offered different interpretations of the acronym and said development could take place under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.
Minister O.P. Rajbhar also criticised the choice of Raebareli for the yatra and linked it to a recent controversy involving an SP district president and a police officer. He alleged that the SP district president had threatened a police officer and claimed Akhilesh Yadav’s visit was aimed at encouraging party workers.
The PDA Yatra comes as political parties in Uttar Pradesh intensify their organisational and public outreach activities ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections
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