Uttar Pradesh Politics: Akhilesh Yadav Launches PDA Rath Campaign From Rae Bareli Ahead of 2027 Polls | Indian Rajneeti
BREAKING
Uttar Pradesh Politics Heats Up as Yogi Adityanath Targets 115 Key Seats Ahead of 2027 Assembly Polls • Rajasthan Civic Polls 2026: Voting Begins as BJP Faces Rebel Challenge • Yogi Adityanath Targets 2027 UP Elections, Says BJP Will Return With a Grand Majority
Uttar Pradesh Politics: Akhilesh Yadav Launches PDA Rath Campaign From Rae Bareli Ahead of 2027 Polls
Haripriya 25 Sept 2026 6 min read 696 views
Lucknow: Political activity in Uttar Pradesh has intensified ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, with Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav launching his party's PDA Rath campaign from Rae Bareli and outlining the political issues on which the SP plans to campaign.
Yadav's decision to begin the campaign from Rae Bareli, theLok Sabha (opens in a new tab) constituency represented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has also put the future of the SP-Congress alliance and seat-sharing discussions in the spotlight.
During a public meeting in Rae Bareli on September 24, Yadav said the SP would contest the 2027 Assembly election in an alliance and that the distribution of seats would be based on the ability to win individual constituencies.
Maharashtra's decision to declare 265 talukas drought-affected has triggered questions from both ruling alliance leaders and the Opposition. While some areas represented by Mahayuti leaders have been excluded, the MVA has questioned the transparency of the assessment process.
Akhilesh Yadav travelled to Rae Bareli on the newly designed PDA Rath, formally beginning the SP's campaign outreach for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
The Rath carries slogans including "Samajwadi PDA Yatra" and "PDA hi parivartan layega", while PDA refers to Pichhde, Dalit and Alpsankhyak — backward classes, Dalits and minorities.
The campaign is intended to take the SP's social-coalition message directly to voters across Uttar Pradesh. Yadav's Rae Bareli programme included a roadshow and a public meeting at the Government Inter College ground.
The choice of Rae Bareli is politically significant because Rahul Gandhi is the sitting Lok Sabha MP from the constituency and the SP and Congress have worked together in Uttar Pradesh previously.
SP Says Alliance Will Continue
One of the most important messages from Yadav's Rae Bareli visit concerned alliances for the 2027 election.
Yadav said the SP would contest the election as part of an alliance but did not specify the final partners or the number of seats each party would receive.
He said "winnability" would be the basis for deciding which party contests a particular constituency. In other words, the SP's stated position is that seats should go to the alliance partner considered capable of winning them.
The SP and Congress had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election together in Uttar Pradesh. The SP won 37 seats and Congress won six, giving the alliance a combined total of 43 seats in the state, while the BJP won 33. These were the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha election and do not represent a forecast for the 2027 Assembly election.
Seat-Sharing Talks Likely to Remain Important
The question of seat-sharing is now expected to be an important part of the SP-Congress discussions.
The two parties (opens in a new tab) have been the principal constituents of the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh since the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Recent reporting indicates that a meeting between Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Akhilesh Yadav could take place in October as discussions over the 2027 Assembly election develop.
However, no final seat-sharing arrangement has been publicly announced.
Yadav's statement that winnability will determine seat allocation provides the SP's stated framework for future negotiations, but the final agreement will depend on discussions between the parties.
Akhilesh Raises Questions About 2022 Election
During his Rae Bareli speech, Yadav also criticised the Election Commission over the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
He alleged that the PDA bloc's votes were affected by what he described as "vote theft" and claimed that the SP would have formed the government had the alleged irregularities not occurred.
These are allegations made by Yadav and should not be presented as established findings of election authorities.
Yadav has also recently raised concerns about the Election Commission and demanded that future elections not be conducted under the current Chief Election Commissioner, citing reported disagreements within the commission.
Employment and Welfare Become Part of SP's Campaign
Yadav used the Rae Bareli meeting to outline several issues that the SP is likely to raise during its campaign.
He spoke about employment and government recruitment and said an SP government would work to increase job opportunities for young people. He also criticised outsourcing in government employment and promised action on the issue if the SP returned to power.
The SP chief also spoke about healthcare, saying his proposed government would provide free treatment in hospitals.
He further promised restoration of the old pension scheme for government employees and said primary schools that had been closed would be reopened.
These statements are campaign promises made by the SP and would require policy and budgetary decisions if the party were to form the government.
BJP Responds to PDA Rath Campaign
The BJP responded to Yadav's Rae Bareli campaign by questioning the political significance of launching the SP's programme from a Congress-held Lok Sabha constituency.
BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi described the move as an attempt by the SP to demonstrate its political strength in a Congress stronghold and linked it to differences that have emerged within the broader SP-Congress relationship.
The BJP also highlighted development work carried out by the Yogi Adityanath government in the state.
These statements represent the BJP's political response to the SP campaign.
BJP Continues Its Own Preparation for 2027
The BJP is also preparing for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election through organisational activity and public outreach.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has continued visiting districts across Uttar Pradesh while inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for development projects.
The BJP is expected to highlight issues including infrastructure, law and order, welfare programmes and development during its election campaign.
At the same time, the SP is seeking to build its campaign around the PDA social coalition, employment, representation and criticism of the state government's policies.
AI Content Enters Uttar Pradesh Political Campaign
Digital campaigning has also become a growing feature of Uttar Pradesh politics.
The BJP and SP have traded allegations over AI-generated videos targeting political leaders. Both sides have denied responsibility for certain objectionable AI-generated material attributed to them by opponents.
Akhilesh Yadav has publicly shown AI-generated videos during recent political interactions, while BJP representatives have questioned the SP's handling of such content.
The controversy demonstrates how social media, artificial intelligence and digital videos are becoming part of political communication ahead of the 2027 election.
Rae Bareli Campaign Puts SP-Congress Relationship in Focus
The launch of the PDA Rath from Rae Bareli has therefore carried significance beyond the SP's campaign programme.
Rae Bareli is represented in the Lok Sabha by Rahul Gandhi, and the SP and Congress are currently discussing how they could work together in the next Assembly election (opens in a new tab).
Yadav's statement that the SP will contest in an alliance, combined with his emphasis on constituency-level winnability, suggests that seat-sharing negotiations will be an important issue in the months ahead.
At present, however, the final number of seats to be contested by each party has not been announced.
Uttar Pradesh Politics Moves Into Election Campaign Mode
The launch of the PDA Rath marks a significant step in the SP's preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
The SP is taking its PDA message to voters while raising issues such as employment, government recruitment, healthcare, education and social representation. The BJP is continuing its organisational and development-focused outreach under **Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
**
Meanwhile, the future shape of the SP-Congress alliance remains an important political question, with discussions over seat-sharing expected to continue.
The 2027 election is still ahead, and parties are currently in the organisational and campaign-preparation stage. The coming months are expected to bring further rallies, constituency-level discussions, alliance negotiations and policy announcements across Uttar Pradesh's 403 Assembly constituencies.
“Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has launched the PDA Rath campaign from Rae Bareli ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, saying the SP will contest in an alliance and that seat-sharing will be based on winnability. The campaign has also brought the SP-Congress relationship and the BJP's response into focus.”
The INDIA bloc has announced a nationwide campaign over concerns related to the Election Commission and electoral processes. The Opposition plans protests, a march to the Election Commission headquarters, and a legal challenge to provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner Act, 2023.
Discussions between Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) have intensified, with reports suggesting alliance talks and possible Cabinet representation. However, no official announcement has been made by either party.
With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election approaching in 2027, the Samajwadi Party and Congress are working to strengthen their alliance after their improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Political observers believe the opposition has an important opportunity, but unity and effective seat-sharing will be crucial.
