What Samajwadi Party's 'PDA' Formula Can Learn from TMC's Bengal Debacle

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called on the central government to enforce the Women Reservation Act 2023, which guarantees one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. His statement followed the Trinamool Congress’s defeat in West Bengal’s 2026 elections, highlighting the party’s focus on women voters amid criticism over its opposition to the bill. The move comes ahead of Uttar Pradesh’s 2027 legislative assembly elections, where the Samajwadi Party’s PDA formula—targeting backward castes (Pichda), Dalits, and minorities (Alpsankhyak)—has driven its political success. However, the party’s stance on the Women Reservation Act has drawn accusations of neglecting women, despite PDA’s broad social justice framework. During parliamentary debates, the Samajwadi Party argued that the act’s implementation should include a caste census to ensure social justice aligns with its PDA approach. Critics claim the party’s resistance to the bill undermines its progressive image, particularly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused it of betraying women by opposing the legislation. The PDA strategy, while inclusive of marginalized groups, has faced scrutiny for its gender gap, as women within these communities remain underrepresented. The party now risks electoral disadvantage if it fails to address perceptions of exclusion, especially with the ruling party’s strong public relations machinery leveraging the issue against it.