SP rolls out all-women meetings,100 of them addressed by Dimple Yadav
In an effort to counter the BJP’s narrative of lawlessness under SP government, the party has stepped up efforts in reaching out to women voters on the issue of law and order, employment and discrepancy in the voter list
LUCKNOW In view of the 2026 panchayat elections and 2027 UP assembly polls, the Samajwadi Party Mahila Sabha, a frontal organisation of the party, is pulling out all stops to woo the ‘aadhi aabadi’ (better half of the population) in its favour. So far, over 1,000 all-women meetings have been organised in the state as part of the women outreach initiative.
In an effort to counter the BJP’s narrative of lawlessness and women safety issues under the SP government, the party has stepped up efforts in reaching out to women voters on the issue of law and order, employment and discrepancy in the voter list.
In the past few elections, women voters have played a major role in shaping fortunes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always maintained that better implementation of women-centric schemes like Ujjawala has brought about a decisive shift of women voters in their favour. This is coupled with the ‘law and order’ tag, which was successfully used to its advantage by the BJP in their campaign against the SP.
The better half of SP president Akhilesh Yadav and also Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav is getting increasingly active in meetings with all-women groups in and around her parliamentary constituency. As per information, she has attended more than 100 such meetings.
In 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the turnout of female voters was 64.72% and male voters 63.11%. Talking specifically of UP, in 2024 polls, the turnout of female voters stood at 58.56% while the male voter turnout was 53.47%, as per data of Election Commission of India.
Former minister and SP Mahila Sabha president Juhie Singh said: “Mahila Sabha meetings are underway in the state. So far, over 1000 have been held. Five big meetings have also been held in Malihabad, Mohanlalganj, Bakshi Ka Talab, Lakhimpur and Badlapur (Jaunpur).”
“We are also engaging ASHA and anganwadi workers in our effort to reach out to women and know their issues,” she added.
On the participation of SP MP Dimple Yadav in these all-women meetings, Juhie Singh said: “As Dimple ji is the MP from Mainpuri, her primary focus, as of now, is Mainpuri and adjoining constituencies. Post-Diwali, some big meetings are lined up and we will try to ensure her participation in those programmes. This will also boost the morale of women workers of the party.”
“So far, over 100 ‘women-only’ meetings have been held by Dimple Yadav, in which she has met women from different backgrounds,” Singh said, adding that the motive of these meetings was not political, but to gather information about issues that are being faced by women.
The meetings usually revolve around topics like unemployment, law and order and discrepancy in voter list, informed SP Mahila Sabha chief.
Sharing her views on the issue, Seema Rana, assistant professor with history department of Shia college in Lucknow, said: “I think women are now clear about whom they will vote for unlike yesteryears when males and heads of families decided for whom the females will vote in elections.”
“All political parties are aware of the fact that if they work for a particular segment of society for a long time, they will reap benefits too. The SP can take a lead by including women’s issues in their election manifesto,” added Rana.
However, the BJP feels that such meetings will not have any impact on the upcoming elections as people remember the “hooliganism” of SP workers. UP BJP vice-president Santosh Singh said: “People are aware of hooliganism during the SP government in the state. Memories are not so short-lived that people will forget crime during the previous regime.”
