Lucknow: Delhi’s viral “ kachori-samosa ” protest slogans have made its way into Uttar Pradesh politics, with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav turning the Gen Z slogan into a spicy taunt aimed straight at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Asked about the party’s third candidate, Akhilesh said that the name would be announced after the numbers of legislators were worked out. His use of the line also brought a slogan popular among Gen Z protesters into Uttar Pradesh’s political campaign. The use of samosa in political slogans is not new in north Indian politics. One of the best-known examples from Bihar was the slogan, “ Jab tak rahega samose mein aalu, tab tak rahega Bihar mein Lalu (As long as there is a potato in the samosa, Lalu will rule Bihar politics). The slogan was associated with former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and became a familiar political rhyme in Bihar. Akhilesh used the slogan while speaking about Gen Z and the political role he expects young voters to play. The PDA is the term used by the Samajwadi Party for its political social coalition of backward classes, Dalits and minorities. Akhilesh has also been seeking to bring younger voters into the party’s political messaging. The slogan reference came during questions about the SP’s preparations for the Rajya Sabha election. What began as a student-led cry for women’s safety was redirected by Akhilesh, who co-opted its catchy cadence to strike at the ruling party.
Yadav changed the last part of the slogan to “we do not trust the BJP”, turning the protest chant into an attack on the party. He said, “PDA and Gen Z alliance poised to decimate the BJP in upcoming elections. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister referred to an earlier idea of his involving a “bhajan jamming” programme. He said, “What started as our idea for a bhajan jam session was overheard and brought to life by someone. From street demonstrations to high-stakes politics, the trajectory of “ek kachoudi, do samosa” proves how fast raw protest language can become a campaign weapon.
