The Samajwadi Party (SP) has begun preparations for its election manifesto for the next year’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. In a bid to emerge as a senior contender in the upcoming elections, the Akhilesh Yadav-led party is likely to make promises targeting all sections of the society.

According to reports, the SP will be promising as many as 300 free units of electricity for poor families, around Rs 1,500 per month as monthly pension to women belonging to BPL categories and more than 10 lakh jobs for the youth.

While speaking to media, a senior SP leader said, “Free electricity scheme is likely to figure in the manifesto along with pension for women and jobs for youth.”

Samajwadi Party sources say that the party is closely assessing the election manifestoes of parties that have recently defeated the BJP. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal and Congress in Punjab are to name a few.

Several party leaders involved in this exercise are of the opinion that issues that directly affect the poor and middle class should be a part of the manifesto as it is likely to give SP an edge over its rivals.

Sources said the party leadership was also holding consultations with experts to take a call on the financial viability of the three issues that are likely to be included in the manifesto

During the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 312 seats while SP and BSP could only win 47 and 19 seats respectively. Congress could notch up just 7 seats in the elections.

The elections in the state are likely to be held in February next year. The term of the present Uttar Pradesh Assembly will expire on March 14, 2022