Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday claimed that “the countdown has begun” for the BJP government, which he described as being “steeped in the arrogance of power”.
“The people of the country and the state are completely fed up with this dictatorship,” he alleged.
Speaking to reporters after expressing condolences on the death of Nizamabad MLA Alam Badi Azmi, Yadav targeted the BJP government on a range of issues, including the cases involving jailed strongman and former MLA Ramakant Yadav and senior SP leader Azam Khan.
Referring to the youth protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the SP chief said everyone needed to learn from today’s youth.
“The Samajwadi Party has always stood with the youth on the issues of education and examinations, and will continue to do so,” he said.
In a sarcastic remark, Yadav said, “The youth of the country have deflated the BJP, which claims to be the world’s largest party. This victory belongs entirely to the youth and to their struggle.”
Recalling the achievements of his previous government, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party had long recognised the importance of modern education and had distributed laptops to students and young people.
Questioning the state’s law-and-order situation, he said public welfare initiatives such as the Dial 100 emergency response service and the 108 Ambulance Service were the result of the Samajwadi Party’s vision, enabling people to receive assistance with a single phone call.
Speaking about jailed strongman and former MLA Ramakant Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav expressed confidence in the judiciary, alleging that the government had implicated him in fabricated cases but that he would ultimately receive justice from the courts.
Defending Azam Khan and his family, the SP chief directly attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“Now a conspiracy is being hatched to destroy the university by implicating Azam Khan’s family in false cases. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is happy when someone’s home is destroyed. Does Uttar Pradesh need such a Chief Minister?” he alleged.
Accusing the BJP of weakening democracy, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the party wanted to remain in power through money earned from corruption. He further claimed that when the BJP was defeated in elections, it resorted to poaching MPs and MLAs from other parties using that money.
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav visited Kurmi Tola to meet the family of the late Alam Badi Azmi, MLA from the Nizamabad Assembly constituency.
Paying tribute to the late legislator, Yadav said, “He was a unique and exceptional person. People of such stature are rarely born. I am proud that he was an MLA from our party. It will be impossible for both society and the party to fill the void left by his passing.”