Like the BJP, the Samajwadi Party too has given a large chunk of tickets to OBCs in its first list of 159 candidates for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

The SP has given tickets to 66 OBC candidates. Besides OBC, the party has also fielded upper castes, Muslims, and Dalit candidates in its first list.

Drawing a comparison between the BJP and SP on its lists, the former has fielded 76 OBC candidates while the latter — 66.

The first list of the Samajwadi Party has the name of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who will contest from Karhal, and his uncle Shivpal Yadav, who will contest from Jaswant Nagar.

If we look at the list of the Samajwadi Party, it has nominated 31 upper castes, 31 Muslims, 66 OBCs, 31 Dalits, and 12 women out of its 159 candidates. Whereas, till now BJP has announced the names of 196 candidates in which the party fielded 76 OBCs, 24 Brahmins, 34 Thakurs, 38 Dalits, 13 Vaishyas, 11 other castes, including candidates from castes like Punjabi, Vaish, and Tyagi.

Jayant Chaudhury-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which is contesting polls in alliance with SP, has also released the first list of 33 candidates in which 14 backward classes, 10 Jats, 5 Muslims, 3 Brahmins, 3 Gurjars, 2 Kshatriyas, 1 Saini, and 1 Vaish have been named.

In fact, this time the caste equation has become very important in the UP elections.

The way after BJP, SP has also fielded a large number of backward class candidates, it has proved that both the parties are wooing the vote back of backward classes in the state. In such a situation, the way Samajwadi Party has included Swami Prasad Maurya, a former minister in the BJP-led state, in its party, it has made the electoral equation more interesting.

Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.