Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, 19 September 2026, launched a sharp attack on the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government, alleging that there was 'not a single honest recruitment' conducted in the state before 2017. The remarks came during a ceremony in Lucknow at which appointment letters were distributed to candidates selected through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) and the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC).

Key Remarks at the Appointment Ceremony

Asserting that his government has issued appointment letters to 9.5 lakh youth so far, Chief Minister Adityanath said a further 1 lakh appointment letters would be distributed within the next six months. 'To those who created an uproar regarding the distribution of appointment letters prior to 2017, I ask them to take note — we are going to issue appointment letters to another 1 lakh youth within the next six months,' he said.

Adityanath alleged that the previous administration had 'discredited the entire recruitment process by appointing their own family members and relatives in recruitment boards and commissions.' He further claimed that as a result, 'not a single recruitment drive was conducted honestly,' forcing UP's youth to migrate out of the state in search of opportunities.

Attack on Previous Government's Track Record

The Chief Minister alleged that before 2017, 'riots occurred in UP every other day, curfews lasted for months, and no one was safe.' He said that the 'ailing mindset' of the then-government had turned Uttar Pradesh itself into a 'Bimaru (ailing)' state. 'Uttar Pradesh was not sick; it was the mindset of the governments that was sick, and their modus operandi was corrupt,' he stated.

Without naming the individual, Adityanath also alleged that an unqualified person had been appointed as Chairman of the UP Public Service Commission during the previous dispensation, and that the courts had subsequently ordered this person's imprisonment.

Veiled Attack on Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav

In what was widely read as a reference to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle, SP MLA Shivpal Yadav, the Chief Minister remarked: 'In the past, the “uncle-nephew duo” used to set out brazenly — acting like dacoits — to loot and plunder these job opportunities. Today, they are acting like preachers, but after 2027, they won’t even remain that as well.' The remark carries an implicit warning ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Broader Governance Claims

Adityanath underlined that the state 'will never tolerate those who harm the youth of the state and play with their futures.' He listed a series of alleged failures of the previous government — including a surge in communal unrest, threats to women's safety, farmer suicides, and what he characterised as a deliberate identity crisis imposed on UP's youth. The event served a dual purpose: an administrative milestone and a political platform as the BJP positions itself for the next electoral cycle.