SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav dismisses UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's claims of an imminent party split. Yadav also announced the party's resolve to defeat the BJP in Gorakhpur in the upcoming 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Yadav Mocks Minister's 'Split' Claim
The astonishing claims of an imminent split in the Samajwadi Party made by UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar does not seem to have affected SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav. Responding to Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's remarks claiming a "major political realignment" in the Samajwadi Party and suggesting an internal split, Yadav took a sharp dig at the minister, questioning his statements and motives. On Rajbhar's remark, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Dana aur gana kab tak chalega yeh afsana (how long will their 'benefits and songs' continue)"
SP MP Rajeev Rai also dismissed Rajbhar's claims accusing him of making small talk without any purpose. "I had said in the Lok Sabha elections of Ghosi that there is a disease of 'bakbak-itis' (talkativeness/chatterbox). Now if there is no cure for it, then are we responsible for that? Why do you take all three of them (father and sons) so seriously? This disease also spreads pollution. Don't ask," Rai said.
SP Vows to Defeat BJP in Gorakhpur
Meanwhile, with preparations intensifying ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said the party has resolved to change political outcomes in Gorakhpur and will work towards defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party in the region. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said the party's focus is now on strengthening its organisational strategy in Gorakhpur. "This time we will work to bring the BJP to a zero in Gorakhpur," he said. "We have resolved to change the results in Gorakhpur. Very soon, the party organisation will decide when to hold party meeting in Gorakhpur," he added.
Criticism of State Governance
He alleged that the BJP government, over its ten-year tenure, has shut a large number of primary schools in Gorakhpur and weakened the education system in the region. "During the BJP's ten-year tenure, primary schools have been systematically shut down in Gorakhpur, with the highest number of closures occurring in that region. The Chief Minister has closed 500 primary schools in Gorakhpur alone and has been responsible for snatching away 1,500 government jobs. While there were over 2,000 primary schools in 2017, only a handful remain today," Yadav said.
He further alleged a worsening law and order situation and a decline in public health infrastructure in the state. "Uttar Pradesh now ranks first in crime, with Gorakhpur experiencing the highest rates. Despite the Chief Minister spending most of his time there, atrocities against Dalits in Gorakhpur are at an all-time high. The number of Primary Health Centers has dwindled to the point where they exist in name only, as the government is intentionally taking away jobs and weakening public services to force people toward private hospitals," he said.
Attacking the state's governance and infrastructure, Yadav said the Chief Minister's own constituency reflected administrative failure. "The Chief Minister is effectively running a 'Gorakh dhandha' (shady racket) in his own district. Even the infrastructure is being misrepresented, as a four-lane road should not be called an expressway--it should be at least six lanes--and the Gorakhpur Link Expressway is currently in a pathetic state. If the Chief Minister cannot manage his own home constituency, the condition of the rest of the state is easily imaginable," he said.
Allegations of Electoral and Land Irregularities
He also levelled political allegations against the ruling party and questioned electoral processes. "In the BJP, religion has become synonymous with money. There was blatant dishonesty in the Kundarki assembly elections, and the refusal to provide CCTV footage was a cover-up; if released, the footage would expose the corruption and the theft of religious donations and offerings," Yadav said.
Further, he alleged irregularities in land allocation and governance practices, claiming, "In Ayodhya, lands were snatched from the people, leaving farmers and merchants to weep in despair. Now, money is being stashed away while the government encroaches upon public ponds."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)