Assembly polls to mark BJP’s exit, says Akhilesh in a cryptic post

Lucknow: In an apparent jibe at chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav took to X on Saturday with a cryptic tweet to state that “those who came wearing black goggles are now all set to go and never return”.

The SP chief’s statement, which does not name anyone, was, however, loaded with statements that apparently referred to allegations levelled against the CM and the BJP govt by political rivals.

The comment on black goggles is being seen in the light of the fact that before being declared the chief minister-elect of UP, Yogi reached Lucknow wearing black sunglasses. The part of the statement that he was now set to go was an apparent reference to the Assembly polls due in early 2027.

In his post, Akhilesh criticised most of the policies of the Yogi govt, accusing the chief minister of “getting his criminal cases withdrawn” and his govt resorting to slapping false criminal cases on others.

“Someone who can beat Ravan at arrogance and does not wish ‘namaste’ to maintain cordial relations with others,” Akhilesh wrote as he went on to talk about UP govt’s bulldozer action to demolish homes and shops and how people were being harassed because of power and drinking water shortages across the state.

The SP chief accused the CM of getting mega publicity campaigns done on false claims, getting the lawyers cane-charged and overseeing the razing of Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi (during a recent renovation and upgradation of the ghat), which led to protests.

He levelled allegations of govt adopting a casteist approach, spreading communalism and unleashing extreme torture on members of the PDA community.

Akhilesh accused the govt of slashing reservation opportunities and forcing teachers to arrange for fodder of the stray cattle and reducing the remuneration of assistant teachers. He accused the govt of heaping false accusations against seers and misleading Anganbadi and ASHA workers with false promises.

SP chief condemns attack on TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday condemned the attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC) functionary Abhishek Banerjee and accused the BJP of orchestrating the attack.

“By getting Abhishek Banerjee attacked, the BJP has proved that it cannot do anything else except politics of hate and violence. Absence of adequate police arrangement despite such a sensitive atmosphere points to a big conspiracy,” Akhilesh said in a tweet on X in Hindi.