LUCKNOW, Aug. 24 -- With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections approaching, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has begun building its own caste-wise voter database, with booth-level workers verifying electoral rolls and mapping communities across constituencies. The exercise aims to give the party a clearer picture of caste equations before the Centre's proposed caste census and help shape candidate selection, electoral strategy and alliance seat-sharing.

Party sources said the exercise is being carried out through the SP's organisational machinery and would help the party identify local issues, refine its political strategy and take informed decisions on candidates and seat-sharing arrangements with alliance partners.

A senior SP leader, who...