Muslim cleric urges boycott of Akhilesh Yadav's PDA Yatra, calls it Hindu appeasement bid
Synopsis
A prominent Muslim cleric has called for a boycott of Akhilesh Yadav's freshly launched PDA Yatra, alleging the saffron-chariot campaign is Hindu appeasement in disguise — and a covert strike at Congress strongholds in Raebareli and Amethi. The rebuke exposes the SP's deepest electoral tension: can it court Hindu voters without alienating the Muslim bloc it has long depended on ahead of UP 2027?
Key Takeaways
Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi of the All India Muslim Jamaat urged Muslims on 24 September 2026 to boycott the SP's PDA Yatra .
He alleged the yatra is designed to appease Hindus while distancing itself from Muslim voters.
The yatra was launched by Akhilesh Yadav from Raebareli aboard a saffron-coloured rath — drawing sharp criticism over the colour choice.
Pre-yatra posters depicted Yadav in the avatars of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna , alongside images of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Dr B.R.
Maulana Razvi also alleged the yatra launch from Amethi and Raebareli — traditional Congress bastions — was a deliberate attempt to harm Congress.
The campaign is part of SP's build-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2027 .
Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat, on Thursday, 24 September 2026, urged Muslims to boycott the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav's ongoing PDA Yatra, alleging the campaign is designed to appease Hindus while distancing itself from Muslim voters. The remarks came hours after Yadav launched the yatra from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
What Maulana Razvi Said
Speaking from Bareilly, Maulana Razvi argued that the choice of launch location — Raebareli and Amethi — was strategically aimed at undercutting the Indian National Congress (Congress). 'SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is starting his PDA Yatra from Amethi and Raebareli. Both districts are considered Congress's main strongholds and centres. Starting the yatra from here is an attempt to harm Congress,' he said.
The cleric contended that a yatra rooted in the SP's own political heartland would have carried more credibility. 'If this yatra had begun from Etawah, Mainpuri, or Saifai, then it would have made sense because these areas are known for being Yadavland and are strongholds of the Samajwadi Party,' Maulana Razvi added.
The Saffron Rath Controversy
A focal point of the criticism was the colour of the vehicle used for the yatra. 'The chariot which will be used for the yatra is saffron-coloured. Akhilesh Yadav is trying to steal the colour from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is a religious saffron yatra,' the cleric said. Maulana Razvi also pointed to pre-yatra posters in Raebareli that depicted Akhilesh Yadav in the avatars of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, alongside images of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Dr B.R. Ambedkar — imagery critics say signals a deliberate Hindu outreach.
Call for Muslim Boycott
Maulana Razvi directly appealed to Muslims to stay away from the campaign. 'I will request all the Muslims not to participate in any activities of the PDA because this is not a yatra for the Muslims. If a Musalman were part of the yatra, then it would have been named PDM,' he said. He urged Muslim voters to make the yatra 'unsuccessful', arguing that Yadav was 'trying to appease the Hindus through this yatra and, meanwhile, also trying to hide from the Muslims.'
About the PDA Yatra
The PDA Yatra — shorthand for the SP's Pichhda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak (backwards, Dalits, minorities) coalition outreach — was formally launched by Akhilesh Yadav in Raebareli on Thursday. The yatra is billed as a campaign vehicle ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for 2027. Raebareli is historically seen as a Congress bastion, a detail that has drawn pointed commentary from rivals across the political spectrum. SP workers raised hoardings and banners across the district ahead of the launch.
Political Context
This comes amid intensifying early electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, where all major parties are recalibrating their caste and community arithmetic ahead of 2027. The SP, which has traditionally relied on a Muslim-Yadav (MY) coalition, appears to be attempting a broader Hindu outreach — a pivot that has evidently unsettled some of its traditional allies. Notably, criticism from within or close to the Muslim community carries particular resonance given the SP's electoral dependence on minority vote consolidation. Whether Yadav's dual outreach strategy can hold both constituencies simultaneously will be a defining question of the 2027 campaign.
Point of View
Lord Ram and Lord Krishna imagery, and a launch from Congress territory signals a deliberate outreach toward Hindu and OBC voters that his traditional Muslim base is reading as abandonment. The SP has long relied on a Muslim-Yadav consolidation that has frayed since 2017; attempting to replace it with a broader Hindu coalition while retaining minority support is a high-wire act. If community leaders successfully mobilise Muslim abstention, the very 'PDA' coalition the yatra claims to build could be undermined before the 2027 campaign properly begins.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SP's PDA Yatra?
The PDA Yatra is a political outreach campaign launched by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on 24 September 2026 from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. 'PDA' stands for Pichhda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak — a coalition of backward classes, Dalits, and minorities that forms the SP's stated support base ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Why did Maulana Razvi call for a boycott of the PDA Yatra?
Maulana Razvi argued that the yatra is designed to court Hindu voters rather than the Muslim community, pointing to the use of a saffron-coloured rath and posters depicting Akhilesh Yadav as Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. He also alleged the launch from Congress strongholds Amethi and Raebareli was an attempt to harm Congress politically.
Why is the saffron colour of the rath controversial?
Saffron is associated with the BJP and Hindu religious symbolism. Maulana Razvi alleged that by using a saffron-coloured chariot, Akhilesh Yadav was attempting to borrow BJP's cultural imagery — a move the cleric characterised as a 'religious saffron yatra' aimed at Hindu appeasement.
Why was Raebareli chosen as the launch site, and why is that significant?
Raebareli is traditionally a Congress stronghold. Critics, including Maulana Razvi, allege the choice was a deliberate attempt to weaken Congress's base rather than a natural fit for the SP. The cleric argued the yatra would have been more credible if launched from Etawah, Mainpuri, or Saifai — the SP's own traditional strongholds.
How could this controversy affect the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2027 UP elections?
The SP has historically depended on a Muslim-Yadav coalition. A public call by a prominent Muslim cleric for boycott could dent that support if it gains traction. The party is attempting a broader Hindu and OBC outreach simultaneously, and managing both constituencies without alienating either will be a central challenge as the 2027 campaign unfolds.
