Samajwadi Party (SP) is a socialist democratic political party in India. It was founded on 4 October 1992 by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Beni Prasad Verma. It has its stronghold in the state of Uttar Pradesh, with a significant presence in other states as well. The party is headquartered in New Delhi.
Samajwadi Party was a member of the Janata Parivar, a coalition of socialist and secular parties in India. The Party provided outside support to the United Progressive Alliance government up to the fourteenth general election. The party has also been a member of the Left Front, a coalition of communist and socialist parties, but it withdrew from the alliance in 2015. Read More : Aam Aadmi Party Info, Rise and History
Samajwadi Party’s ideology is based on secularism, socialism and social justice. The party’s goals include the eradication of poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy; the provision of basic amenities to the poor; and the empowerment of women and marginalized communities. The party also advocates for a strong federal system of government and a vibrant democracy.
Samajwadi Party is a major political force in Uttar Pradesh, where it has won the assembly elections three times (1993, 1997, and 2012). It has contested Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections around the country, though its successes have been mainly in Uttar Pradesh. The party also has a presence in other states, such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
In the 2012 legislative assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh, SP registered a landslide victory with a clear majority in the House, thus enabling it to form a government in the state. This was expected to be the fifth term of Mulayam Singh Yadav as Chief Minister of state, but he selected his son, Akhilesh Yadav, instead. However, the party suffered a landslide defeat in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Election, slumping to only 47 seats as the Bharatiya Janata Party swept to victory.
It is currently led by Akhilesh Yadav, who is the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. In a National Convention held on 1 January 2017 called by Ram Gopal Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav was removed and Akhilesh Yadav was appointed as national president of the party. It’s other prominent leaders include Shivpal Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, Akshay Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav.
Here are some of the key achievements of the Samajwadi Party :
- Welfare Schemes : It has introduced several welfare schemes for the poor and marginalized, such as the Samajwadi Pension Yojana, the Samajwadi Kanya Vivah Yojana, and the Samajwadi Rozgar Yojana.
- Economic justice : The SP believes in the equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities. It has implemented several policies to achieve this goal, such as the Samajwadi Pension Yojana and the Samajwadi Kanya Vidya Yojana.
- Social justice : The SP is committed to protecting the rights of the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. It has implemented several policies to achieve this goal, such as the Samajwadi Awas Yojana, which provides housing for the poor, and the Samajwadi Rozgar Yojana, which provides employment opportunities for the youth.
- Secularism : The SP is a secular party that believes in religious tolerance and harmony. It has opposed all forms of communalism and religious extremism.
- Federalism : The SP believes in a strong federal system of government. It has opposed the centralization of power in the hands of the central government.
- Democracy : The SP is committed to the principles of democracy and good governance. It has fought against corruption and has supported the empowerment of the people.