UP By-Poll Election: Here's Why Samajwadi Party Hangs the Photo of Former President Kalam on Its Hoardings - You Won't Believe This
Just ahead of by-elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party, which wants to stay ahead in state-level opposition to the Bhartiya Janata Party, has selected former President APJ Abdul Kalam as a symbol of inspiration and role model at the political platform. A giant hoarding of stalwarts- Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi; Constitution-maker Dr. B.R. Ambedkar; socialist icon Ram Manohar Lohia; SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav; former President APJ Abdul Kalam- dominated the recent SP and Congress joint rally in Ghaziabad where they are fighting together.
The public is eager to know why the "Missile Man" and erstwhile President is being promoted by the SP. For an interesting piece of information, the poster of Kalam was also used by SP hoardings during the 2022 UP Assembly elections that saw a flutter.
Rationale by SP: The Mulayam-Kalam Connection
It is hardly ever that Kalam's image makes the rounds during election campaigns. SP leaders claim that Kalam was extremely close to the SP's founder, Mulayam Singh Yadav, who first brought his name into the fray for the presidency back in 2002. It is that relationship, SP claims, which makes Kalam an apt inspiration for the party.
Not a Substitute for Absence of Azam Khan
The SP said Kalam's image was not being used to fill in the absence of its popular Muslim leader, Azam Khan, lodged in Sitapur Jail since February 2020 on charges of hate speech, obscenity, and other crimes. "We respect all national icons who have contributed positively to society. Our use of Kalam's image is not based on caste or community," said SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary. A nationalist approach shines through. Chaudhary said about Azam Khan, "He still commands the same respect that he had within the party".
BJP's Response: "Akhilesh Has Come to His Senses"
Earlier, the BJP was critical of the SP's move. Former UP Minister for Minority Welfare Mohsin Raza said in 2021 that "It seems Akhilesh has come to his senses by featuring Kalam's image instead of Muhammad Ali Jinnah." This statement reflected how BJP, regularly addressing the SP strategy on embracing influential Muslim leaders as part of their campaign, kept on its attack spree.
SP's Broader Message with Kalam's Image
It has been a strategic choice of SP to employ the image of Kalam as it universally appears to be more above than the caste or community lines. The party would be able to resonate much better with a larger elector by claiming to be a secular, national Opposition against the BJP. Figures like Ambedkar, Lohia, and Kalam being used signify that SP will exercise its commitment to different values and will help to reinforce its stand as a viable and inclusive alternative in the UP by-elections.
