‘Old-school’ approach: Samajwadi Party puts faith in postcards to woo women voters

Lucknow: In an era dominated by WhatsApp forwards, Instagram reels, and X trends, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is banking on a surprisingly old-school medium: the postcard.

As the 2026 Panchayat elections and the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls inch closer, the SP has rolled out a grassroots campaign — led by its women’s wing, the SP Mahila Sabha — to reconnect with women voters across the state. The party is distributing thousands of pre-printed postcards, inviting women to write directly to party chief Akhilesh Yadav about their lives, struggles and aspirations.

One side of the card carries a photo of Yadav. The other side simply reads: “A Message to National President Akhilesh Yadav Ji.” Women are encouraged to write — in their own handwriting — about everything from inflation and education to personal safety and unemployment.

“This is a campaign that consciously steps away from digital gimmicks,” said Rajendra Chaudhry, SP’s national spokesperson. “We are not just asking for votes. We are asking for stories — and offering a platform to those who are often unheard in political spaces.”

The response from rural women has been unexpectedly emotional. Lalita Rani, a resident of Karonda village in Barabanki, said this is the first time she feels her voice might actually reach a political leader. “I wrote to Akhilesh Bhaiya that the girls in our village have to walk far to attend school, and the roads feel unsafe. Maybe now our concerns will be understood,” she said.

The campaign is not a symbolic one-off. SP’s Mahila Sabha has mobilised its cadre down to the panchayat level, using PDA Panchayats (an outreach strategy focusing on Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak communities) to distribute the postcards and engage women in conversation. These messages, once collected, are sent to a dedicated team at the party headquarters for analysis.

According to party leaders, selected women whose postcards raise critical or compelling issues are even being invited to meet Yadav in person.

While critics have called it a nostalgic gimmick, many political watchers argue it could be a clever recalibration of strategy. In a state where mobile ownership among rural women remains low and internet literacy is patchy, the postcard becomes both practical and potent.

“In political communication, sometimes the old ways work better,” said Manoj Bhadra, a Lucknow-based political analyst. “In a digital world oversaturated with noise, the SP is betting on quiet sincerity. The postcard is symbolic of trust — and trust is currency in any election.”