Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024
After the Lok Sabha elections, Akhilesh Yadav is constantly trying to make the SP known on the national platform instead of limiting it to Uttar Pradesh. Under this scheme, Akhilesh is trying his luck in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, but the bicycle, the traditional election symbol of the SP in UP, has become a laptop in Jammu and Kashmir. Due to lack of national party status, SP has been allotted laptop election symbol in Kashmir. In such a situation, it remains to be seen how much Akhilesh Yadav’s changed election symbol can change the SP’s fortunes in Kashmir.
Although the first phase of 24 seats in Jammu and Kashmir has been contested, the real test of the SP is in the second and third phase elections. SP is contesting on 20 seats in the second and third phase. In the second phase, SP is contesting on 10 seats in Kashmir region and five seats in Jammu region. Apart from this, luck is being tried on five seats in the third phase. Voting is on September 25 for the second phase and October 1 for the third phase, where the litmus test for SP is to be held.
The laptop became an election symbol
Not being a national party, the Samajwadi Party could not get its traditional election symbol cycle. Because of this, most of the SP candidates have chosen the laptop as their election symbol. Akhilesh Yadav had promised laptops in the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. After coming to power, Akhilesh Yadav started distributing free laptops to students who passed 12th. Over 27 lakh laptops were distributed in two years. Thus, Akhilesh Yadav’s laptops reached every home in UP, but will he be able to show charisma in Kashmir politics with the help of laptop election symbol?
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Political base in Jammu and Kashmir
SP has no particular political base in Jammu and Kashmir. The SP contested the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections in 2008 and 2014, but could not even open its account. In 2008, the SP contested 36 assembly seats in Kashmir, none of which was won by a candidate. SP got 0.61 percent votes with 24194 votes. Not a single SP candidate could save his deposit. The SP contested seven assembly seats in Kashmir in 2014 and got 0.10 percent vote share with 4985 votes. Thus, the SP has not been able to show any charisma in Jammu and Kashmir so far.
Third largest party
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the SP has emerged as the single largest party in Uttar Pradesh with 37 seats. Due to which Akhilesh Yadav is trying to make SP a national party. In this series, SP is trying its luck in Muslim dominated seats in Jammu and Kashmir. SPs in Jammu and Kashmir have been allotted laptops instead of bicycle badges. In such a situation, most of the party candidates in Jammu and Kashmir are seeking votes by using the names and photos of SP president Akhilesh Yadav and late SP protector Mulayam Singh Yadav.
SP in Jammu and Kashmir elections
SP candidates are going door to door explaining to people that they are contesting on SP ticket, but the party’s election symbol is different in Jammu and Kashmir elections. Trying to tell people that laptop is SP’s election symbol in Kashmir. Not only this, the party has also planned to organize Akhilesh Yadav’s rally in Kashmir. It is believed that Akhilesh Yadav may come to Jammu and Kashmir in the third phase of elections.
Will the account be opened this time?
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections are looking very challenging for the SP. On the one hand, the SP is facing an identity problem due to the lack of its traditional election symbol, while on the other, direct competition between the BJP and the Congress-National Conference has heightened tension. Voters are trying to win or defeat BJP. A similar pattern was seen in the Lok Sabha elections. In such a situation, the challenge has arisen for Akhilesh Yadav to open his party’s account in the Jammu and Kashmir elections?
