Lucknow: With less than a year left for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has got into gear, launching a series of outreach events under its ‘Vision India: Plan, Develop & Ascent (PDA)’ initiative. The programme is designed as a platform for SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to engage with experts from different sectors and gather insights on key challenges and opportunities across sectors.
The all-new SP outreach series began in Bengaluru in November last year, and is now set to expand into the home territory of Uttar Pradesh.
The action begins next month; on 14 June, Yadav will participate in an event at Agra, focused on issues concerning small businessmen and traders. Through these interactions, the SP seeks to project itself as a development-focused and solution-oriented political force. The events feature panel discussions involving industry experts, professionals and stakeholders, after which Akhilesh will outline his vision for the sector and present policy ideas that could form part of the party’s agenda for the 2027 election campaign.
According to Samajwadi Party functionaries, a series of events are planned across Uttar Pradesh between June and August. The discussions will focus on a range of issues, including challenges faced by small businessmen, paper leaks and concerns of Gen Z, problems confronting potato farmers, the future of the leather industry, among others.
Party leaders say the initiative aims to generate policy-focused discussions and gather feedback from stakeholders across sectors.
SP functionaries also claim that the concept was conceived by Akhilesh Yadav, who sought to rebrand the party’s PDA slogan. While PDA has traditionally stood for ‘Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak’ (Backward Classes, Dalits and Minorities), the new formulation of ‘Plan, Develop & Ascent’ is being projected as an effort to reposition the party as forward-looking and visionary.
The events are primarily targeted at intellectuals, entrepreneurs, professionals, and young people, and are being organised at hotels and tony conference venues rather than traditional political rally grounds.
Each event is projected to last about three hours and will be divided into three segments. The first hour will be dedicated to a panel discussion, during which subject experts will deliberate on the core issue. The second hour will feature an open question-and-answer session, allowing members of the public to interact directly with the experts and share their views.
In the final hour, the SP chief will address the gathering and present his vision and policy perspective on the subject under discussion. After the event concludes, Yadav will interact with local media representatives and take questions.
A senior SP leader told ThePrint, “This is a new concept of outreach. The Samajwadi Party has traditionally been associated with conventional styles of politics, but the party now wants to change the way it engages with people. The idea is to provide a platform where the leadership can present its vision and offer alternative solutions to public issues. We do not want BJP to tag us as a ‘gundo ki party (party of goons)’; we are a party with vision.”
The leader pointed to a recent event in Ghaziabad focused on sugarcane farmers, where Yadav promised payments on the day that receipts are issued by sugar mills. According to the party leader, similar policy announcements and issue specific commitments could be made at upcoming events as the party seeks to combine public outreach with the presentation of its governance agenda.
Also Read: From laptop scheme to support for Cockroach Janta Party, Akhilesh’s playbook for the Gen Z in UP
Core team
Former chief secretary and Yadav advisor Alok Ranjan, Lok Sabha member Rajeev Rai and former minister Abhishek Mishra have been entrusted with organising the series of events.
Explaining the objective behind the initiative, Alok Ranjan told ThePrint, “We want to present a vision for development and a roadmap for the future. Opposition parties are often perceived as merely highlighting problems. Through these programmes, we aim not only to raise issues but also to suggest practical solutions. After engaging with intellectuals, experts and stakeholders through open forums on the various issues we take up, we will present our vision and policy suggestions for addressing them.”
Ranjan added that SP has planned a series of such events in Uttar Pradesh. As of now, Ghaziabad, Agra and Prayagraj have been finalised as venues, but smaller towns are on the radar as well.
An Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1978 batch, Ranjan has been considered close to Yadav since he retired, helping formulate the vision for PDA events. Ranjan will also have a hand in drawing up the SP election manifesto.
Another key face, former minister Abhishek Mishra told ThePrint, “These events are primarily aimed at intellectuals, local businesspersons, and young people, including Gen Z. They are not party meetings. Rather, they are intended to serve as intellectual forums and brainstorming sessions where we discuss the work we have done in the past and outline what we can do in the future.”
Social media pages and a dedicated website have been created for the series of events. According to the official website of this event, Yadav “has introduced Vision India: Plan, Develop & Ascent (PDA), a forward-looking national roadmap crafted to shape a NEO India—a new, empowered, and opportunity-rich nation built on justice, equality, and technological progress”.
“Rooted in constitutional values and inspired by progressive governance, Vision India is not merely a political narrative but a nation-building mission driven by collaboration, innovation, and social justice,” it goes on to say.
The website describes its first pillar, ‘Plan’, as focused on “mapping India’s future needs and identifying sector-wise opportunities”. Yadav, it says, emphasises the “need to understand India’s socio-economic gaps and address challenges through inclusive thinking”, describing planning under the initiative as “data-driven, democratic, and futuristic”.
The second pillar, ‘Develop’, talks about “turning ideas into impact through actionable strategies, partnerships, and collaborative leadership”, aimed at empowering people “not just economically but also psychologically and socially—bridging historical biases and ensuring equal opportunities for all”. This pillar declares that “new technologies and best global practices” will be adopted.
The final pillar, ‘Ascent’, outlines a vision of India emerging as a global leader through innovation, technological advancement, sustainable growth, and a knowledge-based digital economy. The framework aims to promote entrepreneurship, support grassroots innovators, and enhance global competitiveness while ensuring that economic progress remains aligned with social values and equal opportunities.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
Samajwadi will gain credibility when, they appoint someone outside the Yadav family, as chief. Socialism is not an ideology. It is populism disguised as an ideology.