Lucknow: Hours after visiting BJP national general secretary and UP in charge Vinod Tawde said Samajwadi Party’s PDA actually stood for ‘Paraya Dhan Apna’ (grabbing others’ wealth), SP reacted sharply, saying that such claims only show how petrified BJP was of PDA’s growing unity and power.Shortly after Tawde’s comment, SP’s verified media cell handle went a step further to offer its own understanding of Vinod Tawde’s initials. A post from the handle said VT (as in Vinod Tawde) now has a new full form: It should now be read as Vasuli Tantra (extortion mechanism).The other SP social media handles posted videos of Tawde being mobbed by supporters of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) led by Hitendra Thakur and MLA Kshitij Thakur. The rivals mobbed Tawde with allegations of distributing cash to influence voters at a hotel in Virar area of Palghar district hours before the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.“The fact that the first thing that the BJP’s UP in charge talked about after reaching Lucknow was PDA explains how petrified the saffron brigade is about the coming together of the Pichde (Backward classes), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (Minorities) under SP’s PDA umbrella. This shows how PDA is riding high on the minds of the saffron brigade,” said a senior SP functionary.SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had coined the term ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to bring together the Pichde (Backward classes), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (Minorities). The move had paid rich electoral dividends with SP securing its highest-ever tally of 37 seats in Lok Sabha. The party has since adopted the PDA pitch as its ‘political mantra’ in organisational appointments and representations.In the 2027 assembly polls, SP plans to further add to its commitment towards the PDA community and field candidates of the community beyond the traditional proportion of candidates from the party’s committed vote bank.“We gave tickets to Dalit candidates on unreserved seats during Lok Sabha. The approach may be repeated if required in 2027 elections as well. This commitment of SP has left the BJP terrified. No wonder the BJP is now targeting the PDA more than the SP,” said the functionary.‘Pathshala Pukare on Teachers’ Day’Samajwadi Party on Saturday reached out to the 26,000 primary schools that have been shut by BJP in UP to observe Teachers’ Day as a ‘Pathshala Pukare’ event. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the primary reason for the event was to renew SP’s commitment that all these schools will be opened once the party was voted to form govt in 2027 polls. “The event was also aimed at conveying party’s resolve that students from the PDA community will get a chance to study and change their life for better once these schools are re-opened,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
