The ruling Samajwadi Party of Uttar Pradesh, which has expressed support for Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi assembly elections, today started preparations for elections in its own state, which is due in 2017.
On Thursday, at a meeting of the new state executive chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, it was decided to begin campaign from February 7.
The party leaders have been asked to reach out to people at block level for feedback and to take the government's welfare schemes to the public.
"The party will hold block level meetings from February 5 to reach out to the masses and create awareness about the government's work," said party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary.
The party is also pulling up its socks where governance issues are concerned.
Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is said to have expressed his displeasure at the non-performance of some ministers. He also took them to task for losing in the Lok Sabha elections.
Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra said Mr Yadav has directed all ministers and legislators to reach out and hear the people. "Mr Yadav said there should also be introspection about why ministers lost their seats during the Lok Sabha polls," Mr Mehrotra said.
Apart from four members of the Yadav family, none of the SP leaders won in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
