Why Samajwadi Party Skipped INDIA Bloc’s Janpath Lunch Meet

The Samajwadi Party (SP) was conspicuously absent from the INDIA bloc’s lunch meeting at Sagar Ratna in Janpath on Wednesday, where Opposition MPs gathered for a meeting hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other party MPs did not attend the lunch, even though they had participated in the INDIA bloc’s major march to the Election Commission on Tuesday. Yadav, who represents Kannauj in the Lok Sabha, was also detained during the protest and was later released.

The absence of the Samajwadi Party from Wednesday’s gathering comes amid continued Opposition efforts to put pressure on the government over issues surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls.

SP Absent From Janpath Lunch

The Opposition MPs gathered at Sagar Ratna in Janpath for the lunch hosted by Mallikarjun Kharge. The meeting was followed by a move towards Jantar Mantar, indicating the Opposition’s intention to continue its campaign and maintain pressure on the government.

However, the Samajwadi Party was missing from the gathering. The absence of Akhilesh Yadav and other SP MPs was particularly noticeable because the party had taken part in the INDIA bloc’s march to the Election Commission just a day earlier.

During Tuesday’s march, Yadav participated along with other Opposition leaders and MPs. He was detained during the protest and subsequently released.

Opposition Campaign Over SIR

The lunch meeting and subsequent movement towards Jantar Mantar appeared to be part of the Opposition’s broader strategy to sustain its campaign against the government.

The INDIA bloc has been raising concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls and has sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the issue.

The Wednesday gathering provided Opposition parties with another opportunity to coordinate their position and continue their public campaign.

Why Did the Samajwadi Party Skip the Meeting?

According to sources in the Samajwadi Party, the party leadership was upset with the Congress taking centre stage during Tuesday’s INDIA bloc march. However, the sources indicated that this was not the reason for the Samajwadi Party’s absence from the lunch meeting.

The developments nevertheless highlight the political dynamics within the INDIA bloc as Opposition parties continue to coordinate their campaign against the government.

While the Samajwadi Party had participated in the previous day’s march, its absence from the following lunch meeting became noticeable given the importance of the gathering and the participation of other Opposition MPs.

The Opposition’s activities are centred on its campaign concerning the revision of electoral rolls and its demand for action involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The movement from the Janpath lunch meeting towards Jantar Mantar was part of the effort to keep the issue in the public and political spotlight.

The Samajwadi Party’s decision not to attend the lunch therefore comes at a time when coordination among INDIA bloc parties remains important to the Opposition’s campaign.