Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday left Lucknow aboard his specially designed “PDA Rath” for a statewide campaign ahead of the 2027 assembly polls, itching to bounce back after two successive electoral reverses.
His first stop is Raebareli, a Congress bastion with Rahul Gandhi as its sitting MP.
The BJP has wasted little time in taking potshots at Yadav, claiming the SP attempts to demonstrate the party’s strength in a Congress stronghold.
Meanwhile, SP leader Ashutosh Verma dismissed speculation over the color of the newly unveiled ‘PDA Rath’, citing “basic physics” and camera optics to explain why the vehicle appeared orange rather than the party’s signature red, accusing the BJP of manufacturing frivolous debates to divert attention from real public issues.
Speaking to ANI, Verma said, “To the jaundiced eye, everything looks green. If anyone understands even basic physics—and the media works with cameras all day—they know that when red is shot under bright sunlight through a camera lens, it creates a warm color cast and can appear orange,” Verma explained.
Accusing the ruling party of trivializing public discourse, the SP leader claimed the row was an attempt to avoid discussions on substantive governance issues.
“People simply want to debate nonsensical topics. When there is an unwillingness to discuss real issues—unemployment, our youth, paper leaks, recruitment scams, bureaucratic corruption, inflation, and soaring fuel prices—they distract the public by arguing over colors. This is the BJP’s deliberate narrative, and certain national channels continue to amplify it,” Verma alleged.
The Samajwadi Party leader further stated that the yatra symbolizes the party’s grassroots approach of direct public dialogue to consolidate its core Pichhda (backward), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (minority) coalition.
“The Samajwadi Party has consistently maintained that the Bharatiya Janata Party can hold elections whenever it wants. Whenever the Election Commission announces the dates, we are ready. All our workers and booth-level teams are prepared. As a demonstration of this readiness, our National President Akhilesh Yadav is setting out aboard the PDA Rath today. The rath is a symbol; it reflects how our party operates—connecting directly with the people, stopping along the way to hold dialogues. You name the venue, Akhilesh ji will be there,” Verma said.
Ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has set an ambitious target of increasing the party’s tally by 27,000 votes in every assembly constituency.
