New Delhi, Dec 24 : In the New Year, the Samajwadi Party is seeking to consolidate its M-Y (Muslim- Yadav) base and pose a challenge to BJP’s M-Y (Modi-Yogi) — the latter having proved its power in the recent elections across the country.

The past one year has been a roller-coaster ride for the Samajwadis in Uttar Pradesh and the party is now reworking its strategies for 2023.

The party — following the demise of its founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and the rapprochement with Shivpal Singh Yadav — is working overtime to improve its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav is also trying to counter allegations of being a drawing room politician.

He visited jailed party MLA Irfan Solanki in the Kanpur jail, a day before the latter was shifted to Maharajganj district jail.

He will also be paying a visit to Jhansi jail where another SP MLA Deepchand Yadav is lodged.

Akhilesh’s decision to meet his beleaguered party leaders is apparently designed to send a positive message to the party cadres.

The Samajwadi Party has lost three allies in UP after the 2022 Assembly polls — the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), Mahaan Dal and Janwadi Party — but the SP has, more or less, made up for the loss by bringing in Shivpal Yadav into the party fold.

Shivpal Yadav is known for his organisational skills and ability to mobilise the party workers. Given an opportunity, he will play an important role in gearing up the party for the 2024 polls.