Akhilesh's 2024 challenge: Keep the flock together or risk migration

If he loses Western UP, SP chief will have onerous task of corralling 34 Muslim MLAs for next five years

The colour of the rainbow alliance of different castes in Uttar Pradesh (UP), which the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) cobbled together ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, seems to be fast fading after its electoral defeat.

Amid SP allies’ charges of ticket sale, wrong candidate selection, and not giving them a fair share in the alliance, the daunting task at hand for Akhilesh is to keep his flock together until the 2024 Lok Sabha (LS) elections. 

Despite assurances from allies to fight the 2024 general election in concert with the SP, Akhilesh seems to be losing the plot. The