SP's 'PDA' include women, tribals, forwards, says Akhilesh Yadav following party's 'cycle yatra'

Lucknow: Seeking to connect to the electorate with what he termed as 'PDA' (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak), ahead of the next year's Lok Sabha polls, and hoping that it would enable him to reap electoral dividends as it had done in 2001 and 2012 assembly polls, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav on Monday embarked upon a 'cycle yatra' on the Poorvanchal Expressway with hundreds of party workers and other leaders.

Amid slogans raised by party workers, Akhilesh cycled to the Janeshwar Mishra Park in the state capital where he also addressed a meeting of the SP workers and leaders.

The SP president said that his party would abolish the 'Agniveer' system of recruitment in the Army and also conduct a caste census on the lines of Bihar if it became part of the next government at the Centre.

''We will expose the BJP government at the Centre and in the state. SP and its alliance partners will register a historic win in the next LS polls in 2024,'' Akhilesh said in his speech before the party workers.

The 'cycle yatra' had eight prominent issues on its agenda including social justice, caste census, proportional representation, women reservation and alleged atrocities against the Muslims.

Akhilesh had undertaken 'cycle yatras' ahead of the 2001 and 2012 assembly polls in the state and on both occasions, his party had won the elections.

The 'cycle yatra' of the SP was flagged off on August 9 this year from Prayagraj. So far, it has covered a distance of 5,000 km across different parts of the state. Akhilesh joined the 'yatra' on Monday in Lucknow.

A senior SP leader Ravi Bhushan alias Rajan died during the 'cycle yatra' in the state capital reportedly following a cardiac arrest. Ravi complained of chest pain while cycling and was rushed to the hospital where he died a little later.