Samajwadi Party Goes for Overhaul, May Dismiss Youth Organisations

After a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections 2019, the Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has embarked upon an overhaul of the party. Five days after sacking the panel of leaders who participated in television debates as party spokespersons, the party has decided to dismiss all four youth organisations after taking feedback from several former ministers, legislators and other leaders, said sources from the party. Founder of the party, Mulayam Singh Yadav, was also reportedly present during the decision. 

According to a source, all four organisations – Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha, Lohia Vahini, Mulayam Singh Yadav Youth Brigade and Students’ Union will be dismantled. A formal announcement of the same is expected shortly.

The decision came after the Samajwadi Party managed to win only five parliamentary seats despite having formed a Gathbandhan (Alliance of SP, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal) in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the defeat of three members of the Yadav family – Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav – is considered to be the biggest jolt that Akhilesh has received in the elections.

Dimple Yadav lost in Kannauj, Dharmendra Yadav lost in Badaun and Akshay Yadav lost in Ferozabad. All three were sitting MPs in the 16th Lok Sabha.

The results of the Lok Sabha elections clearly indicate that SP, despite its alliance with the BSP, had emerged as a major loser. The party had won five seats within the family in 2014, and the tally had gone up to eight seats last year when SP won byelections in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana.

In the just concluded election, SP is back with five seats. The party has won two seats for the family – Mulayam Singh Yadav in Mainpuri and Akhilesh Yadav in Azamgarh. Three other candidates who have won are Azam Khan in Rampur, Shafiqur Rahman Barq in Sambhal and ST Hasan in Moradabad.

BSP, on the other hand, has managed to revive itself with the alliance. The party which had not won even a single seat in 2014, has won 10 seats this time.

The party has won from Ambedkar Nagar, Amroha, Ghazipur, Ghosi, Jaunpur, Lalganj, Nagina, Saharanpur, Bijnore and Shravasti constituencies. 

Reacting over Samajwadi Party’s decision of a total overhaul, Azam Lari, Gorakhpur district president of Mulayam Singh Yadav Youth Brigade, told NewsClick, "We haven't received any such notification from the party, but yes, the talk is going on since a few days that party has dismissed the youth organisation. It is also in news that Omprakash Singh who has represented Ghazipur as Member of parliament, Lok Sabha is likely to be party president but no official information so far."

He added, "We lost because the saffron party played religious card over development and employment. However, Akhilesh Yadav is still very popular among the youths in Uttar Pradesh."

Also read: Why Gathbandhan Failed in Defeating BJP?