As the election season approaches in Uttar Pradesh, there is a lot of discussion about auspicious and inauspicious signs, astrological beliefs and political superstitions. Sometimes there was talk of going to Noida to visit the Chief Minister's chair, while sometimes visiting a particular temple or spending the night at a religious place was considered auspicious. Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav's night stay in Prayagraj before the 2027 assembly elections has once again become a topic of discussion in political circles.
In fact, the year 2012 proved to be a golden year for the Samajwadi Party (SP). In that election, Akhilesh Yadav had toured the entire state extensively as a young face. His 'Kranti Rath Yatra' and continuous public relations campaign had given new energy to the party. When the election results came, Samajwadi Party won absolute majority by winning 224 seats and Akhilesh Yadav became the youngest Chief Minister of the state. A political story related to this election has been in discussion for years.
During the election campaign in 2012, Akhilesh Yadav had stayed for the night in Prayagraj (then Allahabad). After this, the electoral atmosphere rapidly changed in favor of SP and the party reached power. There was never any official confirmation regarding this story, but it was definitely remembered as a 'lucky moment' among supporters and political circles. Yesterday again Akhilesh Yadav reached Prayagraj on a two-day visit.
During this time, Akhilesh Yadav also rested for the night in the city. This incident alone has fueled political discussions. Samajwadi Party workers gave him a warm welcome from the airport to the hotel. Despite the scorching heat, a large number of supporters were present on the roadside. People were welcomed with flowers and garlands at various places and SP supporters raised slogans. During his tour, Akhilesh Yadav was not limited to only political meetings.
Political analysts believe that it would not be appropriate to link any leader's program only with superstition or tricks. A senior political analyst says that symbolic messages also have importance in electoral politics, if positive memories of a leader are associated with a place, then visiting or staying there for the night can psychologically boost the enthusiasm of the workers, this can also be seen as political psychology.
Such discussions are not new in the politics of Uttar Pradesh. For years this perception persisted that the Chief Minister who went to Noida would lose his power. For this reason, many Chief Ministers avoided going to Noida for a long time. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath broke this myth. During his Noida tour, CM Yogi, while referring to this superstition, said that due to the fear of losing the chair, no CM would come to Noida nor pay attention to the development work here.
Political analysts say that Akhilesh Yadav is now following his father and late Samajwadi Party founder. Mulayam Singh is also trying to strengthen the organization in the style of Yadav. Mulayam Singh Yadav was known for maintaining direct communication with small workers and local leaders. Now Akhilesh is also visiting different districts of UP and reaching the homes of leaders and increasing personal contacts.
