Tracing 2012 poll victory run, Akhilesh back in Dadri to launch campaign  

In the 2012 Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party registered a decisive victory by winning 224 out of 403 seats, defeating the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party and leaving other major parties behind. The win paved the way for SP president Akhilesh Yadav to assume office as Chief Minister, marking a political shift in Uttar Pradesh.

Party’s national spokesperson and rally convenor Raj Kumar Bhati told The Indian Express that the rally was originally scheduled to be held in November. However, it was postponed due to the Bihar Assembly elections and later because of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He said that the party will now organise the rally on March 29 at a college ground in Dadri.

Bhati said that Akhilesh Yadav named the rally Samajwadi Samanta Bhaichara. Preparations for the event have been underway since August, and people from around 140 Assembly constituencies across the Saharanpur, Meerut, Agra, and Moradabad divisions are expected to participate. The party is anticipating a turnout of nearly 50,000 people.

According to the party leaders, this rally will be one of the largest political gatherings ahead of the formal launch of the campaign for the 2027 Assembly elections, and is expected to play a key role in setting the tone for the party’s electoral strategy.

Following the launch, similar rallies are likely to be organised across other districts, with the aim of reaching out to people and mobilising public support ahead of the elections.

SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary confirmed that the party’s campaign for the 2012 Assembly elections was launched from Gautam Buddha Nagar through a cycle rally led by Akhilesh Yadav. He said that the campaign played a crucial role in building momentum across the state and eventually contributed to the party’s electoral success.

Another party leader said that the election campaign would gain real momentum only after a final decision is taken on whether the panchayat elections will be held. He added that the party will also wait for the announcement of its candidates before formally intensifying its election outreach and holding rallies.

It is pertinent to mention that there has long been a political belief linked to Noida that any Chief Minister who visits the city loses power within six months. During the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections, Akhilesh chose to launch his campaigns from other districts instead of Noida. However, despite this strategy, he was unable to return to power in both the elections.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party launched its campaign in Lucknow district by flagging off Rath Yatra, hoping to build momentum across the state. However, the strategy failed to deliver the desired results, as the party managed to win only 47 seats, marking a sharp decline from its 2012 performance. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party won by a massive majority, leaving the Samajwadi Party far behind in the electoral race.

For the 2022 Assembly polls, the Samajwadi Party launched its campaign from Azamgarh, aiming to revive its political strength in the state. The party went on to win 111 out of the 403 seats in the Assembly, significantly improving its performance compared to the previous election. Although the party fell short of forming the government, it emerged as the principal opposition force and the main challenger to the ruling BJP.