Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav criticized the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, accusing them of burdening the common people with rising inflation and heavy taxation. He mentioned that inflation would ease only if BJP leaders step down from power. Yadav highlighted the government’s continuous tax hikes alongside its failure to control the escalating prices of essential goods.
Referring to the surge in LPG cylinder prices, Yadav expressed concern that once prices increase, they rarely decrease. He also pointed out that vehicles are being taxed up to 50%, further straining the finances of ordinary citizens. During an event, several individuals, including former DIG Ram Sharad Ram, joined the Samajwadi Party, indicating growing public trust in the party.
Yadav also criticized the state government’s handling of law and order issues. He cited an incident in Kanpur where police call details allegedly revealed connections between certain officers and smugglers. Questioning the accessibility of police call records but not those of smugglers, Yadav accused the BJP of using a song for political propaganda against the Samajwadi Party.
Highlighting the achievements of his tenure as Uttar Pradesh CM, Yadav mentioned various development projects initiated by the Samajwadi Party government. These included expressway projects, laptop distribution to students, the Gomti Riverfront project, the Dial-100 emergency service, ambulance network expansion, and the establishment of the Cancer Institute. Yadav claimed that the state witnessed the highest number of thermal power plant setups during his government’s tenure.
Yadav raised concerns about the Election Commission’s functioning, alleging attempts to influence voters in some areas. He emphasized the importance of maintaining voter names in electoral rolls and criticized potential removals in Assembly constituencies. Commenting on foreign policy, Yadav advocated for leveraging India’s partnership with Russia to access cheaper oil for economic strengthening. He also reiterated his vision of a coalition comprising backward classes, Dalits, and minorities, termed the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) alliance, to form the government in the future.
