The Samajwadi Party (SP) is working on a multi-pronged strategy ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly election, seeking to be seen as the sole custodian of Muslim interests after the Bahujan Samaj Party snubbed its senior Muslim leaders and party chief Mayawati made explicit overtures to the BJP. The SP is also hoping for support from other segments that have eluded it so far, said party leaders.
Though the opposition party won only one of the seven seats to which bypolls were held recently, the party is confident of being the main challenger to the ruling BJP come 2022. A key effort in this regard is the truce reached between the party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav, an issue that had cost the SP dearly in the 2017 election.
Besides its core support base among Yadavs, the SP feels Muslims will consolidate behind the party since Mayawati has sacked Muslim leaders such as Danish Ali and Munquad Ali from senior posts in the party and also given statements…