BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain mocks Akhilesh Yadav as 'tourist' after Bengal visit
Synopsis
BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain ridiculed SP chief Akhilesh Yadav as a 'tourist' who visits allies after defeats, as the INDIA bloc showed fresh cracks following the West Bengal election results. Yadav's Kolkata meeting with Mamata Banerjee triggered both BJP mockery and questions about Congress's reliability within the opposition alliance.
Key Takeaways
BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain called Akhilesh Yadav a 'tourist' for visiting allies after electoral defeats, on 9 May .
Akhilesh Yadav met Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the Chief Minister's Kolkata residence on 7 May .
Yadav alleged 'multi-layered mafiagiri' and electoral fraud by the BJP and the Election Commission in West Bengal.
Hussain accused the Congress of abandoning allies — including Mamata Banerjee and the DMK — after electoral setbacks.
The episode highlights deepening friction within the INDIA bloc over strategy and leadership following multiple state election losses.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Saturday, 9 May launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over his visit to Kolkata and meeting with Trinamool Congress leaders in the wake of the West Bengal Assembly election results. The remarks intensified the war of words between the ruling BJP and a fractured INDIA opposition bloc.
Hussain's Attack on Yadav
Targeting Akhilesh Yadav's political travels, Hussain said,
Point of View
And individual leaders are left to manage optics on their own. Yadav's Kolkata visit may have been intended to signal solidarity, but it handed the BJP an easy target. More telling is Hussain's swipe at Congress, which reflects a BJP strategy of driving wedges within the opposition rather than just defending its own record in West Bengal. If the INDIA alliance cannot agree on a common narrative after a state election, its national cohesion for 2029 looks increasingly aspirational.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Akhilesh Yadav visit Kolkata after the West Bengal election results?
Akhilesh Yadav visited Kolkata on 7 May to meet Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the Chief Minister's residence. During the visit, he alleged electoral fraud by the BJP and the Election Commission and called for opposition unity against what he termed attempts to undermine democratic processes.
What did BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain say about Akhilesh Yadav?
Hussain said Akhilesh Yadav had 'become a tourist these days,' visiting allies wherever there is a defeat to console them over their losses. He also accused Congress of abandoning alliance partners, including Mamata Banerjee and the DMK, after electoral setbacks.
What did Akhilesh Yadav allege about the West Bengal elections?
After meeting TMC leaders, Yadav alleged 'multi-layered mafiagiri' involving multiple players had influenced the West Bengal electoral process. He also accused the BJP and the Election Commission of electoral fraud during the recently concluded assembly elections.
What is the INDIA bloc and why is it facing friction?
The INDIA bloc is a multi-party opposition alliance formed to contest the BJP at the national level. It is facing internal friction following setbacks in several state elections, with parties trading accusations over strategy, leadership, and the reliability of alliance partners — particularly Congress.
How has the BJP responded to opposition allegations of electoral fraud in West Bengal?
BJP leaders have dismissed the allegations, accusing opposition parties of blaming democratic institutions after electoral defeats rather than reflecting on their own campaign strategies and internal divisions.
