Samajwadi Party has launched its poll campaign for the 2022 UP assembly elections on the social media with the old tag line ‘Kaam Bolta Hai’. Apparently taking a cue from its arch rival Bharatiya Janata Party, the Samajwadi Party is likely to focus more on the social media for reaching out to the voters rather than the costly campaign on streets.
Last week, after the Union cabinet approved the Kushinagar international airport project, Akhilesh Yadav had tweeted: “SP’s work for people,” and added, “Congratulate those who initiated the Kushinagar airport work during the SP rule. Also approve the SP government time’s pending airport projects in Meerut, Moradabad, Chitrakoot and Azamgarh.”
On June 23, Akhilesh had hash-tagged a video of Ghaziabad-Delhi elevated road as ‘Kaam Bolta Hai’; the day before, on June 22, he posted a picture of Jai Prakash Narain International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow and a video of Deoband-Saharanpur four-lane highway; on June 21, a video of Noida Shilp Hut and Bunkar Bhawan (the craft and weavers facility); on June 19, a picture of a fighter jet landing on Agra-Lucknow Expressway; on June 18, the Noida cycle track; and on June 14, the free laptop distribution scheme.
‘Kaam Bolta Hai’, was the theme of the SP campaign in the 2017 UP assembly elections. The slogan was punctured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the campaign by dubbing it as ‘Karnama Bolta Hai’. Samajwadi Party, the ruling party in 2017, had to hastily withdraw this tagline.
Moreover, the SP had to drop this line of campaign following its electoral alliance with the Congress. The SP had conceded 110 seats to the Congress but the grand old party could win only seven seats while the SP tally was reduced to 47.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections too, the SP had to drop this slogan after entering into an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
After two failed experiments of electoral alliance, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has been reiterating that his party would go it alone in 2022 to hit the target of winning 351 seats in the 403-seat UP Assembly.
“Akhileshji’s government was synonymous with the big-ticket development works for the public — metro, laptop scheme, and expressway. And this government has done nothing except making tall claims and lies. Now, the people know the difference. We will seek votes on our works,” said Samajwadi Party state spokesperson and former minister Rajendra Chaudhary.
The SP has resumed political activities from June 3 with Akhilesh starting daily video-conferencing with the party leaders and frontal outfits in a couple of districts each day. He has covered over 20 districts so far and appointed new office-bearers in twelve districts. The party has also resumed street protests and has held a massive demonstration at Lucknow’s Hazratganj over Lucknow University’s fee, examination, and hostel issues.
Akhilesh Yadav is asking the party outfits to fan out up to booth level and tell people about the :SP’s works and the present government’s tall claims and lies”.
