Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has latched on to the curiosity surrounding the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’, a satirical campaign, as he looks to reach out to the young generation for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections.
The CJP has been projected as the “voice of the lazy and unemployed” after the Chief Justice of India’s controversial remarks in which he referred to certain unemployed youngsters and individuals as “cockroaches” and “parasites”.
From reviving the popular laptop scheme to introducing the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) pathshalas (schools), Akhilesh is looking to connect with first-time voters and young people who are concerned about education and jobs.
As the political debate on social media is increasingly shifting towards this direction, the Samajwadi Party appears to be taking Gen Z voters seriously as a decisive force in 2027.
Over the last one month, Akhilesh has distributed more than 1,000 laptops to meritorious students from different districts, according to party leaders. At one such event in Meerut, Akhilesh said that if the Samajwadi Party returns to power, education for girls from KG to PG would be made completely free.
The Samajwadi Party, he said, was the first to distribute digital devices with the aim to bridge the digital divide in the society. Many of the laptops distributed during the SP government are still functioning and helped youngsters begin professional careers, he said.
The opposition party recently gifted a laptop to Sarah Moin, a Lucknow student with visual and hearing impairment who scored 98.75 percent in Indian School Certificate (ISC) exams.
“Once the news of our daughter’s marks came out, SP leader Pooja Shukla contacted us and said they were sent by Akhilesh ji. The next day, we met him at his party office. He gave a laptop to my daughter… It is a very good gesture by the former chief minister. Even while not being in power, he is supporting students for a social cause,” Sarah’s father Moin Ahmad told ThePrint.
Started during Akhilesh’s tenure as the chief minister between 2012 and 2017, the laptop scheme provided free laptops to thousands of students on clearing Class 10 and 12 exams. Given that smartphones and internet access were limited back then, it helped Akhilesh build an image of a modern and technology-friendly leader.
Political observers believe Akhilesh’s strategy marks a shift from the SP’s traditional dependence on caste equations towards a broader, youth focused narrative centred on education, technology, and digital communication.
Even out of power, Akhilesh invokes the laptop scheme as proof of his commitment to youth empowerment. In previous elections, he promised smartphones and laptops, projecting them as tools of empowerment rather than freebies.
Another initiative aimed at the young voters is ‘PDA pathshalas’, an informal educational classes being organised for children from backward, Dalit, and minority families.
More than 200 PDA pathshalas have been started across Uttar Pradesh, say SP functionaries. As part of the larger outreach to the youths as well as the socially and backward classes, party leaders and workers are reaching out to parents and advising them to send children to evening classes for academic support and social awareness.
Several Samajwadi Party leaders claim that Akhilesh Yadav has been financially supporting the overseas education of some students.
Recently, a video of Lucknow resident Princy Prajapati went viral on social media in which she thanked Akhilesh for helping her financially when she secured admission to a Master’s programme at University of California, Berkeley. The SP chief not only paid the tuition fees but also covered her living expenses, she said.
SM strategy
Akhilesh has become increasingly active in internet-driven political conversations. His recent ‘BJP versus CJP’ social media post was widely interpreted as an attempt to connect with meme culture that is popular among the young SM users.
Launched by political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP has gained massive traction with meme creators and opposition supporters widely sharing humorous content targeting the BJP and its government. On Thursday, CJP’s X account was withheld in India.
SP functionaries believe that Akhilesh’s SM post in support of ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ trend was to signal that his party stands with issues being discussed by Gen Z audience.
A few weeks ago, Akhilesh held a meeting with UP-based digital influencers who are seen as sympathetic to the party’s ideology or are known for promoting the party-related content on SM platforms.
Akhilesh, according to SP spokesperson Sudhir Panwar, has a good understanding of social trends and youth culture. “’He can speak for hours on technology, music, sports and cinema. This reflects his style of politics,” he said. “The idea behind the laptop scheme is not just electoral politics but the upliftment of youth and greater access to technology.”
But, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the exercise as mere political optics. “This is just an attempt by the Samajwadi Party to project Akhilesh as a great leader. Many leaders help people without publicising it,” BJP state spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said.
He alleged that the laptop distribution during the SP rule was largely focused on the Muslim-Yadav voter base, which is traditionally associated with the party. “To change that perception, they are reaching out to others as well. But ultimately, this is an image-building exercise. It will not help him gain the support of youth or Gen Z voters,” he said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
