With an eye on the 2019 Look Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party stepped up efforts to consolidate its core vote bank of OBCs and Muslims.
The party directed all district units to constitute district executive committees and ensure `adequate representation’ to Muslims and the OBCs. The district chiefs have also been directed to give representation to 3-5 women in the committee. The frontal outfits of the party have also been directed to set up committees.
In directions given to district unit chiefs, state SP chief Naresh Uttam said that only those who were active members of the party be included in the district executive. He said that it had come to the notice that many persons enjoying proximity to district leaders and legislators managed to find a post in the organization. He warned that this was detrimental to interests of the party and due diligence be practised before including anyone in the committee.
Listing standards, the state SP president said, "The SP candidate should have won from particular polling booth of the area of residence of the party worker. The person should have a clean record and no pending criminal cases under Goonda Act and Section 302 of the IPC (murder). He said that maximum number of posts in the district committees be given to persons from Muslim and Other Backward Castes.